Is Malaysia ready for a non-Malay PM?

Events in future will determine if Malaysia opts for a non-Malay prime minister

COMMENT

Will it ever be possible for a country like Malaysia to witness a non-Malay, non-Muslim at the helm of the country? Is being the prime minister of a Malay-Muslim majority state achievable by someone of a different race and religion?

While most Malaysians consider this wishful thinking, it must be remembered that predominantly white America never thought it possible that even a half-black, half-white man like Barack Obama will be able to become president.

Whatever has happened? The change in values by Americans signified their genuine desire and zeal to put to an end centuries of hypocrisy and racism.

In the era of globalisation, traditional values have started to shift and give way to a more open and liberal society in the US.

Several years ago, when Singapore Prime Minister Lee Hsien Loong was asked if the island-republic was ready for a non-Chinese to be prime minister, he stated that “it is unlikely to happen until a long time more”.

What about us Malaysians? Will Malaysians feel comfortable and be able to put our faith and trust in a leader that is not of Malay origin and who does not profess Islam as his or her faith? Will there ever come a time when such a situation can become a reality?

The present framework of Malaysian society

Both sides of the Malaysian political divide seem to be going at breakneck speed currently to bring about changes in the nation and Malaysians are witnessing a slew of changes in their lives and expectedly much more to come.

This is largely due to a transformation drive by Barisan Nasional. The governing coalition sees it necessary to make drastic changes after having suffered a terrible setback in the last general election in 2008.

Waiting in the wings is the opposition coalition of Pakatan Rakyat, and its programme, it claims, is a reformation to bring about changes to accommodate the will of the rakyat and to steer the country towards being a healthier and happier state.

Very obviously, change has taken place and from the looks of it Malaysians are anticipating more and widespread changes in the future. But will there ever be change to such an extent that Malaysia will witness a non-Malay, non-Muslim being ushered in as prime minister of the country?

The chances

While the thought of a non-Malay, non-Muslim becoming prime minister probably never entered the minds of the vast majority of Malaysians, such a possibility arising in future should not be discounted.

There are several key reasons why the sweeping changes that are taking place in this country are really building up towards a more egalitarian society where fair play, justice and meritocracy are set to see the discarding of racial and religious discrimination as practised in the past.

If the New Economic Policy (NEP) which ran its course for 30 years, supposedly an affirmative action programme to assist and uplift the socio-economic status of Bumiputeras, failed in many ways, it has taught Malaysians across the board to become wiser and more pragmatic.

The NEP, coming fresh in the wake of the May 13, 1969 racial riots, failed miserably because it only served to fuel corruption and injustice and create a governing Malay elite while the rest of the Malays continued to lag behind on handouts from the government.

Most Malays and Bumiputeras now are seeing for themselves that it is no longer race and religion that are the pre-requisites for being at the pinnacle of power but integrity, justice, fair play and the virtues the prime minister has must encompass all these and more.

Malaysians from all walks of life no longer believe in the race and religion factor; the Malaysians of today are better educated and better informed and are seeking leaders who can uphold the values of the universal good.

Malaysians, irrespective of race and religion, are beginning to be impressed by secular goodness and by political leaders who don’t use race, religion or money to win the favour of the people.

The changes leading into the future

While politicians are harping on race and religion and using money politics on the campaign trail to maintain the status quo, the underlying shift in ground has become more and more noticeable in this country.

Malaysians are a tired lot. They are sick and fed up with the antics of politicians. They want civil liberties to be restored fullly in this country.

Malaysians are seeing for themselves, especially the Malay community and Bumiputeras, how the NEP and the hypocrisy, racial and religious discrimination of the past, have caused the institutions of governance in this country to be viewed with disrespect, ridicule and contempt.

People no longer have much hope or belief in the governance of the past 55 years of this country and politicians know this and that is why they are jumping on the bandwagon to bring about changes in the hope of appeasing the electorate with their various promises and manifestos.

But will all these changes lead to the chair of the prime minister being held by a non-Malay, non-Muslim Malaysian?

While change is the only constant in life, the changes we have witnessed in this country, especially in the last decade or so, are remarkable and in the near and distant future anything can happen.

This will also mean that as Malaysians become more politically mature, better informed and better educated, it will only be a matter of time before the nation witnesses the advent of a non-Malay, non-Muslim as prime minister of this country.

Inconceivable as it might be to many of us Malaysians now, the changes we have witnessed are really building up towards a just, secular, and transparent society where the barriers that divide us are being torn down.

As the changes in this country continue to roll on, the real, hard evidence that change has taken place for the betterment and good of all Malaysians is when power to the prime minister is granted on the basis of merit alone and not based on race or religion.

This will be the crowning effort for all Malaysians to be proud of. It will signal their coming of age as a nation and the concept of Satu Malaysia will then be able to be cast in iron as real visible truth and not what it is now – a mere slogan chant that is meaningless.

By going to the ground and taking the bull by the horns, Malaysians can be proud of politicians who govern without fear or favour, and can then embrace peace, progress and prosperity as their natural, rightful and due common heritage.

This will be then be the real Satu Malaysia.

Christopher Fernandez has been teaching and writing throughout Asia since 1984.