KUALA LUMPUR, Sept 25 — Playing up racial sentiments for political support will not work in a languishing economy, analysts have said after the pro-government #Merah169 demonstration that saw racist insults hurled at the Chinese.

Dr Maszlee Malik, assistant professor at the International Islamic University of Malaysia, told Singapore broadcaster Channel News Asia in a documentary titled “A Fractured Nation” that people will start thinking about survival when the economy is crumbling.

“When you’re thinking about life and the economy, I don’t think racial issues will play a major role anymore,” Maslzee said in the documentary released Wednesday.

The global oil plunge has hurt Malaysia, where oil currently accounts for about 30 per cent of its revenue, and the ringgit has been falling to levels during the Asian Financial Crisis, with financial wire service Bloomberg reporting that the currency weakened past 4.38 against the US dollar today.

Dr Ooi Kee Beng, deputy director of the Singapore-based Institute of Southeast Asian Studies (ISEAS) Yusof Ishak Institute, pointed out that the Malays control most of the government-linked corporations (GLCs), the civil service, the government and Parliament.

“So any argument that they are under threat doesn’t really hold water anymore. We’re going to a point where we should concentrate on good governance, good institutions, rule of law and whatnot, instead of always harping on racial rights,” Ooi told Channel News Asia.

The #Merah169 rally held on September 16 saw tens of thousands of Malays garbed in red shirts demonstrating in the city centre and making racial calls, such as demanding for the abolition of Chinese vernacular schools.

Ibrahim Suffian from local independent pollster Merdeka Center said Malay voters are mostly on the fence, unlike in the past when the ruling Barisan Nasional (BN) enjoyed an “unassured dominance over the mindset and support” of the majority community.

He noted that whether BN fares worse in the next election will depend on what Umno, Prime Minister Datuk Seri Najib Razak and the opposition plan to do in the next few years.

“Right now, various issues I mentioned earlier have weighed down on their sentiments. So a lot of people are undecided,” Ibrahim told Channel News Asia.

Former Prime Minister Tun Dr Mahathir Mohamad is pushing openly for Najib’s resignation amid the 1Malaysia Development Berhad controversy, with the state-owned investor now reportedly under a money-laundering investigation by the US Federal Bureau of Investigation.

“If Umno continues the way its doing under Najib, Umno will lose power and the coalition will lose power, so a new solution will have to be found,” Ooi said.

“Umno somehow has to change its image and that image cannot be changed as long as Najib is there. That’s the battle within Umno itself at the moment,” the political analyst added.