KUBANG PASU: There is nothing new or inspiring about Pas leaders signing a Malay Proclamation mooted by former prime minister Tun Dr Mahathir Mohamad.
Malaysia Consultative Council of Islamic Organisations (Mapim) president Mohd Azmi Abdul Hamid said the proclamation was just a political stunt, with no tangible benefits to the Malay Muslim community.
"The Malays are weak, they are being dominated and their economy is in bad shape and they have to be reunited (is the message of the proclamation)... there's nothing inspiring about it, just old narratives regurgitated.
"It's the same old thing as the Malay Dignity Congress and the Malay Economics Resolution. There's just nothing new here.
"I think Malays should not give too much attention to such proclamations but rather demand for better execution of effective social-economic policies," he told reporters after launching the Save Al-Aqsa Fund programme at Politeknik Sultan Abdul Halim Muadzam Shah in Jitra here on Tuesday.
Azmi claimed that it was not surprising that Dr Mahathir, having lost his political influence, would start moving to drum up support from the Malay community.
He also brushed off Dr Mahathir's claims that the Malays have lost political power, stressing that it was baseless rhetoric.
"Leave out Penang and all the other states are governed by Malay menteris besar and chief ministers. In fact, the federal government's cabinet is filled with Malay leaders. What is he really talking about?
"Furthermore, the current government has already pledged commitment that it will not let the Malays go poor. It's not about making proclamations but it's about action and execution of policies that matter here," he added.
On May 3, several Pas leaders signed the so-called Malay Proclamation — a 12-point document which touches on the purported issues faced by the Malays that cause uncertainties over their future.
The proclamation, written by Dr Mahathir, also claimed to aim at unifying the Malay community.
Meanwhile, Azmi reminded those involved in an alleged plot to topple the unity government that any administration would have a difficult time navigating a challenging political and economic climate.
"No matter who leads the country, we will always face mounting challenges... there's no guarantee they would succeed.
"I think the opposition should instead focus on their responsibility for an effective check and balance to help the country navigate a challenging global political and economic climate," he added.
Azmi said, despite heavy criticism from Perikatan Nasional, the current government under the leadership of Prime Minister Datuk Seri Anwar Ibrahim has undeniably done a lot of good for Malaysians.
"It's unfair to simply say that he has done nothing... he has achieved a lot in his first 100 days. There is always room for improvement, of course, but what's great about Anwar is that he is open to criticism and builds on from there," he added.