LETTER | The Nenggiri by-election in Kelantan has ignited hopes that Malaysia can rise again to become a great world-class nation and not be doomed to become a failed state.
As of now, Prime Minister Anwar Ibrahim has outlasted the three previous premiers – Ismail Sabri Yaakob, Muhyiddin Yassin and Dr Mahathir Mohamad in his second tenure.
It has brightened the prospects of Anwar being re-elected as prime minister in the 16th general election.
In recent years, Malaysia has regressed from its nation-building principles of moderation and inclusivity as embodied in the Federal Constitution and Rukun Negara - to be a world example of unity in diversity for various races, religions and cultures in the country.
The worsening of the Malaysian situation to greater polarisation is illustrated by more examples of intolerance and extremism as illustrated by the recent controversies.
This includes issues where female singers were banned from performing on stage at temple functions, the role of brewery companies in facilitating fund-raising events in Chinese schools and the persistent spread of lies and misinformation that DAP wants to wipe out the Malays and Islam from Malaysia.
This is most unthinkable.
When I was a Form 3 student in Batu Pahat High School, I wrote a poem titled “My Dream” for my class magazine, The Light, and it remains as relevant today some 67 years later:
One for all and all for one,
We care not what colour, creed or religion you belong,
For aren’t each of us Malaya’s son,
Then why let silly racial quarrels prolong?
This was why before the 1974 general election, I announced that Ibrahim Singgeh would be our Perak menteri besar if DAP formed the Perak state government, why I insisted that Daeng Ibrahim and Nakhoda Hitam should stand in Ipoh in the 1970s and Fadzlan Yahya in Teluk Intan in the 1980s to become state assemblyperson.
And it was also why I campaigned for Ahmad Nor in the Gopeng by-election in 1986 and Dyana Sofya Mohd Daud in the Teluk Intan by-election in 2014, although both lost.
Malaysia for all
There was never any thought or intention of DAP doing away with any race or religion in the country. Malaysia belongs to all races, religions and cultures who have made the country their home.
I have always believed that Malaysia can and must contribute to world civilisation dialogue and understanding because Malaysia is a confluence of world civilisations - Islam, Confucianism, Buddhism, Hinduism, Christianity, Sikhism, Taoism, etc.
Malaysians will have multiple identities but they have one common overriding identity as Malaysians.
Nobody is asking any Malaysian to forget that he or she is a Malay, Chinese, Indian, Kadazan, Iban or Muslim, Buddhist, Christian, Hindu, Sikh, or Taoist, but everyone is first and foremost a Malaysian.
In 1995, Mahathir said assimilation is not suitable for a plural society like Malaysia.
Hence, I am surprised that after six decades, there are still people preaching assimilation instead of integration in plural Malaysia.
This is best exemplified by Gerakan - some of whose leaders think the “Green Wave” is inevitable, that they want to moderate this and help non-Malays and non-Muslims “swim” through it.
Such thinking is against the Federal Constitution and Rukun Negara.
The Deputy Yang di Pertuan Agong and Perak ruler, Sultan Nazrin Shah recently called for greater tolerance and unity among followers of different faiths and urged the people to see one another as human first before judging them based on their religious beliefs.
He said at the Regional South East Asian Human Dignity Conference that those spouting the rhetoric of intolerance and exclusion wanted to convince people that those who were different from them were lesser than them.
The ruler is right and Malaysia can only succeed and rise again as a great world-class nation if it remains true to the Federal Constitution and Rukun Negara.
Writer is former Iskandar Puteri MP and DAP veteran.
The views expressed here are those of the author/contributor and do not necessarily represent the views of Malaysiakini.