COMMENT | Stop demonisation, continue democratic consolidation

COMMENT | First, let me congratulate Anwar Ibrahim for being named the 10th prime minister of Malaysia.

I, like many other Malaysians, have had trouble sleeping over the past week as we imagine the formation of a government comprised of politicians who are not representative of our “own” group.

Non-Malays and non-Muslims fear the formation of an almost 100 percent Malay Muslim government by Perikatan Nasional (PN). Many Malay Muslims fear the formation of a government dominated by non-Malays from Pakatan Harapan.

In the lead-up to the 15th general election (GE15) and amid the recent uncertainty of who will be the 10th prime minister of Malaysia, many racial and religious sentiments were played up by all sides.

While I was hoping that a coalition led by Harapan would be part of the next government of Malaysia, I was willing to accept a PN-led government as part and parcel of the process of democracy and democratic consolidation in Malaysia.

While the policy direction of the country would...