'Don't blame the people for not choosing us’ — Kamil Munim

AYER KEROH – “Do not blame the public for not choosing us and do not insult the Malays who are concerned about their position,” said Angkatan Muda Keadilan (AMK) chief Muhammad Kamil Abdul Munim.

He said election defeats must be accepted with an open heart and a clear mind, rather than blaming the public for the choices they make.

According to him, in a democracy, the public has the right to choose based on their own experiences, considerations, concerns and hopes.

“Our job is not to question them, but to understand the reasons behind those choices and to find ways to regain their trust.

“We must not insult Malays who are worried about their position. We must not belittle Muslims who wish to see their religion respected.

“We must not view every anxiety regarding race and religion as a sign of backward thinking. Those anxieties are real and a mature political system must listen to them,” he said.

He spoke during his address at the AMK National Congress 2026 at the Melaka International Trade Centre (MITC) on Thursday.

Elaborating further, Kamil said performance-based politics alone may not be enough to overcome identity politics and the politics of fear.

He noted that certain parties have successfully built a narrative that Malays and Islam are under threat and that Malay power is diminishing, thereby tapping into the public's emotions and fears.

“We need to understand this before we can overcome it.

“If we leave that space empty, others will fill it with fear. If we do not instil confidence, others will sell anxiety,” he said.

Meanwhile, he said AMK must offer a politics of confidence by reassuring the public that Malay and Bumiputera rights can be defended without depriving other races of opportunities.

“We will not fight the politics of fear with fear. We will fight it with confidence.

“That confidence must be built on knowledge, performance, justice and a value-driven politics,” he said.