The recent election result was a political tsunami for Malaysia. The denial of 2/3 majority for the ruling establishment, BN is a shocking miracle that Malaysia had experienced post-1969. The winning of Selangor, Penang, Perak, Kedah and Kelantan by alternative parties speaks volume of the dissatisfaction of the people towards the government, whose regime descended from Mahathir. While the disatisfaction is often directed towards the current PM, one should note that it is merely a pent up frustration for years from previous regimes.
I must commend the graciousness of Pak Lah, Shahrizat Abd Jalil, Koh Tsu Kun and Ong Ka Ting for their graciousness and humility in accepting defeat. The challenge to the establishment ego is painful to swallow but was accepted with grace and respect to the wishes of the people. As Christians, we know that power and authority although awarded by the people, is ultimately granted from on high.
Shame to Samy Vellu, Zainuddin Maidin, Ong Ka Chuan and their media cronies like VK Chin and Awang Selamat whom I lose respect to, who has estranged themselves from the language of the people, by clinging on to whatever establishment-superiority complex that remains. Using the language of empire, dictatorship and arrogance, they pronounce threat on the people who innocently participated in active healthy democratic practices like the potential loss of feudalistic patronage from the Federal Government and loss of FDIs.
Besides, they tried to stir up racial distrust by harping on racial sentiments and prejudice to put down their political enemies shamelessly, like the recent DAP-PAS relationship and DAP provocative statements about the NEP after their victory in Penang.
The new victory raises new hope for a greater reform in Malaysian politics, besides a hope for a more inclusive nation for all race and religion. However, one must realise that the new victories are just a reaction due to frustration towards the old regime, and does not necessarily mean that these alternative parties are truly favoured by the people. Most of the victories are due to vote swings from the Chinese and Indian voters, with a slightly smaller Malay vote swing.
We can delude ourselves by saying that communal politics had ended, but in my opinion it has not. The minority-based opposition, being highly suspicious against communal politics, could not deny, that it is through communal politics as well that they gain their stand in the elections. Race-blind rethorics by DAP although sounds favourable, does not necessarily be practical in a society that has been divided too deeply. In worst cases, race-blind philosophy will only be another form of cultural hegemony and assimiliation approach to force everyone to fit and thrive a mould that is defined by the dominant culture. Denying the elements of ethnicity and expecting everyone to do well in a predominantly White (or middle-class Chinese in Penang), is worse racism and discrimination than the former system. Therefore, politicians in Malaysia, I think should rethink their approach in handling ethnic politics in Malaysia.
Nobody knows whether the newly formed governments in their over-reaction to BN sponsored communalism, will end up mirroring racial chauvinism with the mask of meritocracy.
There is a lot to do for the newly elected representatives to fulfill their promises and practice what they preach. Besides rectifying the errors that they see in the current system, there is much work to do especially in winning the hearts of the people. However, much care and restrain has to be exercised by newly formed governments, especially in making changes that would thread the sensitivities of the society.
Barisan Nasional needed a lot of self-examination on why and how did they do so badly, and rethink the relevance of their communal-based rethorics to win the younger generation. DAP needed to prove to the nation as well, on how a Chinese-dominated government can rule a state with greater efficiency and transparency, without marginalising any ethnic group, while honouring the Social Contract and the unique position of Malay as the
pribumi, something which DAP would have to learn to accept.
PKR would have to learn to position itself as a multi-racial party that can stand on its own without the shadow of its previous leaders. PAS would have to win the hearts of non-Muslims especially in Kedah and Perak, showing that being Malay-Muslim who believes in Islamism as a political ideology is indeed a blessing instead of a curse. The egalitarian ethos of Islam which protected minorities and women, and its call for a clean, efficient and industrious governance should be the central of the struggle of PAS, instead of narrow moralising such as creating male and female lanes in shopping complexes.
All political parties need to prove that they represent the aspiration of all Malaysians, back it up with consistency and not resort to reactionary politics. The recent decisions by DAP by calling off the NEP in Penang and boycott of the Perak Chief Minister, is indeed shameful, insensitive, and chauvinist, proving that DAP is still hold many baggage of prejudice towards the majority Malay-Muslim establishment. It is indeed an uphill task to break itself free from such baggage, and to present itself as a truly viable alternative for all Malaysians especially the majority Malay who forms the heart of the nation.
As a Christian who do not suscribe to dualist philosophy, I am not a keen supporter of dualist political system. These paradigms assumes that society, humanity and individuals are political in nature and it is through political tensions between various entities that reality is established. For example, the government-opposition, majority-minority paradigm that pervades the whole discourse of Malaysian politics. The practice of blaming, attacking, exposing, criticizing and denigrating each other in the name of "healthy politics" I humbly think is not consistent with Christian values. It is as though, there is no other way to ensure political survival or success than to criticise and backstab each other.
It is sad that some christians, being minority in this country fall into the trap of this dualist perpective and is sucked into the cycle of prejudice and fear towards the majority group. Abuses of power of the establishment created a strong reaction against the "other" and may translate into vocabulary of hatred, discord and prejudice alien to the message of love, tolerance, acceptance and reconciliation in the Christian Gospel.
While corruption and abuses of power should be rectified, I believe that the vocabulary used by christians should be gracious and portray great sensitivity to the parties involved. Criticisms should be founded by strong arguments and graciously presented, with empathy and recognition of one's own bias. Strong criticism towards the other should also include a recognition that both the subject and the object share a common fallen humanity. Judgement towards the wrong of others speaks of our own human frailty and failures as well. Maybe through recognising that, we would be less quick to judge but would be more prone to love. We might even be able to prevent ourselves from mirroring the people we judge at the first place.
Jesus was probably right to ask us on why do we look for the speck in the eye of others while overlooking the log in our own eye. The measure that we use to judge should be what we use to judge ourselves. The index finger that we often use to point should also remind us that the other four fingers are pointing back to ourselves.
Encouragements, constructive criticism, empathy, generosity and offers of forgiveness for wrongs should be the language of Christians involved in political discourse, instead of backstabbing, blackmailing, name-calling and revenge, for the sake of political survival.
Instead of being part of the pervading political system that thrives on a dualist bashing of one another or narrow communal politics, maybe we can chart a new direction for a truly inclusive society that is informed by an authentic christian vision?
Confucius
.jpg)
