Malay-Muslim activists in Malaysia have raised concern over the "allegiance of Malaysia's ethnic Chinese citizens", suggesting that they harbour loyalty to China instead of Malaysia.

According to Malay Mail Online, the deputy president of Islamist group Ikatan Muslimin Malaysia (Isma), Abdul Rahman Mat Dali, said that it is "natural" for Chinese Malaysians to feel a connection with China.

He made the comments at a press conference after launching the book titled Pen’China’an Malaysia (The Sinicisation of Malaysia) in Malaysia yesterday (Mar 7).

The book claimed that China is using its diaspora as a tool to expand its influence in Malaysia.

Chinese in China and Chinese in M'sia are the same

Abdul Rahman also claimed that there's conflict within the Chinese community itself, with the Chinese who are loyal to Malaysia feeling "jeopardised" by China's "aggression".

He added that the same is felt by the Chinese diaspora in other Southeast Asian countries.

Datuk Sirajuddin Salleh, the deputy president of Malay rights group Perkasa, also expressed his worry that the Malaysian Chinese may even overpower the majority Malays soon:

"The thinking of the Chinese is stereotyped.

So I make the conclusion that the Chinese in China, and those here all think the same."

He even dragged other ethnic Chinese in the region into the conversation:

"We have seven million Chinese here, four million in Singapore, six to seven million in Thailand.

Are they not united?"

Ahmad Murad Abdul Halim, a lecturer on Chinese Studies of the Islamic Science University of Malaysia, also claimed that the Chinese diaspora worldwide is seen as an extension of China's society:

“All the Chinese in the world are brothers…

Now, they’re bringing up the issue of nationalism among the diaspora, so the latter they will fall along with Beijing.”

Racially charged politics a norm in M'sia

Multi-ethnic Malaysia is no stranger to racially charged rhetoric in its domestic politics, making the claim by the various Malay-Muslim activists somewhat expected.

The upcoming election is no exception – both the Malaysian Prime Minister Najib Razak's ruling coalition Barisan Nasional (BN) and opposition leader Mahathir Mohamad's Pakatan Harapan have been accused of trying to exploit latent racial tensions to gather support.

Since BN's lost of support from the majority of ethnic Chinese voters, it's now being accused of trying to rely on votes from the Malays and bumiputras - a familiar narrative brought out every election.

This explains the tactic of making use of the general fear among the Malay majority towards Chinese economic influence and "foreigners invading the country" in garnering support among them for the favourable bumiputra policies.

Malays in Malaysia are largely grateful for the benefits and are fearful of questioning the policy, according to Lee Hwok-Aun of the Institute of Southeast Asian Studies.

Mahathir, on the other hand, has criticised Najib for letting foreign investors buy up large tracts of Malaysian land for investment:

"Our heritage is being sold, our grandchildren won't have anything in the future."

Capturing the rural Malay Muslim vote, a key demographic, is crucial to winning the election.

This is made especially so due to electoral constituencies that are biased towards rural seats where BN's main Malay Muslim party, the United Malays National Organisation (UMNO), is still popular.

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Top image adapted via Malay Mail Online