Musyawarah Nasional Should Be ‘National Think Tank’ To Address Malay Concerns - Ahmad Zahid

KUALA LUMPUR, May 10 (Bernama) -- The Musyawarah Nasional (National Discourse) should serve as a “National Think Tank Lab” — a platform to test facts, distinguish perception from reality and formulate actions to address current Malay concerns, said Deputy Prime Minister Datuk Seri Dr Ahmad Zahid Hamidi.

Ahmad Zahid, who is also the founder of Musyawarah Nasional, said the platform is not merely a venue to air grievances, but one that brings together intellect, data, experience and courage to find remedies for the “ills” affecting the community.

He said the country has undergone a major transition phase since 2018 that has tested the resilience of the people following political changes, post-COVID-19 economic pressures, geopolitical uncertainty, global conflicts, and the rapid advancement of technology, including artificial intelligence (AI) and automation, which have changed the way people think, interact and build the future.

“It is in this environment that Malay anxieties have taken shape. They did not emerge suddenly, but accumulated gradually through prolonged pressures. Today, these anxieties are no longer merely perceptions. They touch on emotions, dignity, confidence and broader questions about the position of our community in our own homeland.

“However, when we speak of Malay concerns, they should never be misconstrued as a rejection of unity. This is not about racism. It is about responsibility towards the core community that forms one of the pillars of the country’s stability, harmony and prosperity,” he said.

He said this while delivering a speech at the Musyawarah Nasional themed “Malay Concerns: What Are the Solutions?” here today.

Ahmad Zahid, who is also Rural and Regional Development Minister, said at the same time, Musyawarah Nasional must serve as a contemporary ijtihad to adapt strategies so that principles remain relevant with the times, rather than being abandoned.

“Today’s challenges are not the same as those of the past. The economy changes. Technology changes. Politics changes. The way people think also changes. Therefore, this community cannot continue addressing new problems with old approaches,” he said.

He stressed that Malay concerns must not be inflamed into hatred, manipulated into narrow political capital and used as an excuse to undermine national harmony.

“Instead, these concerns must be managed with knowledge, guided by wisdom and driven with courage so that anxiety does not turn into anger, but becomes direction,” he said.

Ahmad Zahid said Musyawarah Nasional is not intended to stoke fear, but rather to serve as a gathering of awareness that the community’s concerns cannot merely remain complaints and must instead be translated into action.

“This is the purpose of Musyawarah Nasional that I envision — not merely to discuss the community’s problems, but to reorganise its strengths,” he said.

Musyawarah Nasional is a dialogue platform aimed at building policy consensus and implementation plans based on data, field experience and current needs, guided by the Maqasid syariah principles (protection of religion, life, intellect, lineage and property), social justice, human development and economic well-being.

The inaugural programme gathered about 2,000 participants comprising various stakeholders, including community leaders, scholars, ulamak, professionals, academics, technocrats, politicians, non-governmental organisations, artistes, influencers and Malay-Muslim industry players.

The discourse aims to seek consensus and propose solutions to strategic issues concerning the future of the Malay community and the nation.

-- BERNAMA