Mahathir Mohamad (96) Former Malaysian Prime Minister Mahathir Mohammad could interpret the outburst of nationalism when he said Malaysia should claim that Singapore “returns” to Malaysia because it was historically “owned” by Malaysia’s southernmost state, Johor. Apart from Singapore, Indonesia’s Riau Islands and the small island of Pedra Branca, the easternmost point of Singapore, should also be returned, he added. Mahathir made the statement at an event in Selangor on June 19, organized by several NGOs under the name “Kongres Survival Melayu” (Congress for…
Former Malaysian Prime Minister Mahathir Mohammad could interpret the outburst of nationalism when he said Malaysia should claim that Singapore “returns” to Malaysia because it was historically “owned” by Malaysia’s southernmost state, Johor.
Apart from Singapore, Indonesia’s Riau Islands and the small island of Pedra Branca, the easternmost point of Singapore, should also be returned, he added.
Mahathir reportedly made the statement at an event in Selangor on June 19, organised by several NGOs under the name of “Kongres Survival Melayu” (Malay Survival Congress) hold. The Straits Times.
But there is no real need…
“However, there is no demand from Singapore. Instead, we applaud the leadership of this new country called Singapore,” the former prime minister continued.
In a speech broadcast live on social media, Mahathir, MP for the Langkawi constituency in the Malaysian state of Kedah, said what used to be known as Tanah Melayuv used to be a vast area that stretched from the Kra Isthmus in southern Thailand to the Riau Islands and Singapore, but now limited to the Malay Peninsula.
only the peninsula remains
“Today, all we have left is the peninsula… I don’t know if we will continue to own the peninsula. I worry about the future of the Malays and whether the peninsula land will also be owned by the other side,” he noted.
He also said that Malaysia today “does not belong” to the bumiputera (Malays) because many Malays are still poor and they tend to sell their land. He claimed that half of Malaysian land was already “owned by foreigners”.
Urging his audience to “learn from the past”, he added: “If we find we are wrong, we should correct those mistakes so that our land remains Malay land.”
