COMMENT | The Harapan debacle: A clash of narratives?

COMMENT | Individuals are advised to learn from their mistakes. So too should political movements - if they wish to do things better going forward. Unfortunately, I do not see much insight developing among the supporters of the Pakatan Harapan in the many discussions that I have had with them since the Sheraton Move.

Non-Malay Harapan supporters have difficulty understanding why there has been a significant drop in Malay support for the coalition. And many of them are exasperated – how can the Malays put up with the kleptocrats who have been allegedly stealing from public funds? Are the Malays so gullible to be taken in by Umno-PAS propaganda? Can they not see that the Umno elite has been enriching itself? And so on.

I would like to suggest a line of analysis that might make things a little clearer. It is to do with a clash of narratives as to the nature of the Malayan/Malaysian nation. Let me explain. The consensus reflected in the Federal Constitution of 1957 is based on the narrative that this is “Tanah Melayu”, a part of the Malay Archipelago, the “Nusantara Melayu”. This narrative is the basis for the assignment of the Malay language as the national language, Islam as...