Bersatu's Bersekutu wing aims to be 'vital bridge' for non-Malays in PN

SHAH ALAM – Bersekutu, the Associate Wing of Parti Pribumi Bersatu Malaysia (Bersatu), is positioning itself as a vital bridge to ensure the voices of non-Malays are represented within the party and the Perikatan Nasional (PN) coalition.

According to Bersekutu Vice President and Bersatu Supreme Council member Sri Sanjeevan Ramkrishnan, the party has long been misunderstood as a Malay-exclusive entity, but in reality, it upholds inclusive and moderate values that extend to all Malaysians.

"There has always been a perception that Bersatu is a Malay party that doesn't care about the voice of non-Malays. I beg to differ. While Bersatu is a Malay party, it cares for, values, and respects the voices of non-Malays," he told Sinar Daily.

He pointed out that Bersatu has taken an unprecedented step in Malaysian politics by including non-Malays at the highest levels of leadership.

"I don’t see any other Malay party in this country that has non-Malay members in its central working committee. But in Bersatu, we do. It is the first Malay party in Malaysia to successfully do that,” Sanjeevan added.

According to him, Bersekutu's role is to ensure constant engagement with non-Malay communities, particularly Indians and Chinese, by addressing their concerns and representing their interests within Bersatu.

“We have to represent their voices, we have to speak their language, we have to address their problems and we have to engage with them consistently. Because we, being non-Malays ourselves, understand the issues they are facing," he said.

Sanjeevan also sought to dispel fears and misinformation surrounding Bersatu’s political stance, especially the notion that joining the party means compromising one’s identity or rights.

"There is this fear instilled in the general public that if you join Bersatu, you would become Malay or lose your rights. That is untrue.

"When Tan Sri Muhyiddin Yassin was prime minister and PN led the government, together with Pas ministers, how many Indians or Chinese were converted?

"How many temples were demolished? None. These are things non-Malays must look at practically rather than being carried away by political propaganda," he added.

Sanjeevan stressed that Bersatu's ideals of inclusivity and moderation make it unique among Malay-based parties and Bersekutu intends to strengthen this bridge between the party and non-Malay communities ahead of the next general election.