Time for new age reform leaders to take risks

 

A lot of people like working in cafes. To be honest, I like it too. I hate office settings because I find them quite boring.

However, with how expensive things are these days, I can no longer afford to buy the expensive coffees to sit at these places regularly. Hence, I do a lot of work at the mamak.

And so there I was sitting at one of the many mamaks the other day, trying to get my work done. But it was a bit difficult because, as you know, one of the other key activities at the mamak is to eavesdrop and judge other people sitting around us. That’s just the Malaysian way.

The guys at the next table were having a heated debate. One was gesturing wildly with a half-eaten paper thosai, arguing about the latest unity compromise, while the other was just staring into his phone, scrolling through the Employees Provident Fund i-Akaun app with a look of intense concentration.

The phone guy whined, “6.15 percent. Not bad, but after inflation and increase in cost of living, I guess I can afford two glasses of teh tarik now!”

I think that we are a society that is constantly checking our banking and financial apps, waiting for the economy to stop feeling like a drive on a totally flat highway between Kedah and Perlis.

But mostly, we’re waiting to see if this government is actually the reformed Malaysia that we were promised, or just the old Malaysia with a more trendy social media strategy.

You have to give it to Prime Minister Anwar Ibrahim. He is definitely a survivor. Most people (myself included, occasionally, when I’m feeling cynical) thought this coalition government would last as long as a plate of keropok lekor during tea time in my house.

Anwar Ibrahim

But then here we are, three years in, and the coalition is still standing.

‘So that’s it?’

But survival isn’t the same as progress. When the government was formed in late 2022, I had to admit that I felt a sense of relief. Finally, the adults were in the room running the country.

Now in 2026, that relief has turned into a bit of a “so that’s it?” moment. We see the compromises everywhere. To keep the peace, the reform agenda has really been diluted so much (no, I did not mention any corruption cases that have been given a discharge not amounting to an acquittal!).

And then there’s today’s news. The EPF just declared a dividend of 6.15 percent for both conventional and syariah savings for 2025. On paper, it’s solid. It’s better than a fixed deposit, and it’s a sign that the fund’s trillions of Ringgit in assets are actually doing something.

But here’s the thing about living in current Malaysia - we are a people who live in the now. A 6.15 percent dividend is great for my 60-year-old Zan Azlee, but 2026 Zan Azlee is looking at the price of his groceries every week and wondering why it costs the same as running a fine dining restaurant!

The government will use these dividend numbers, the percentage of our gross domestic product growth and the resilient ringgit and say that the economy is performing.

Technically, they aren’t wrong. But there’s a disconnect. When you’re at the mamak, you don't feel the macro-economic resilience. Instead, you feel the micro-economic pinch.

But the biggest challenge for this administration isn't just the economy. Truth be told, we are still trapped in this exhausting cycle of identity politics.

The opposition (remember the Green Wave?) hasn’t gone away. If anything, they’ve just gotten better at TikTok, and to counter them, the government seems to spend a lot of time trying to show that they are Malay and Islamic enough, too.

Picking a side

I wrote a book called “Liberal, Malay and Malaysian” years ago (which you can still buy, by the way, if you want to help support the lives of my three children), and in it, I argued that these identities shouldn’t be in conflict.

But in 2026, the political landscape makes it feel like you still have to pick a side.

DAP is walking on eggshells, trying not to spook the Malay heartland, but still trying to be non-Malay enough to not alienate the Chinese community, while PKR is trying to be everything to everyone (Everclear is one of my favourite rock bands!).

The result? That dilution I mentioned previously.

Okay look. The government has given us glimpses of greatness. We’ve seen better regional cooperation as we chair Asean, some brave steps toward fiscal responsibility (even if the subsidy cuts are quite painful), and a genuine attempt to keep the country stable.

Unfulfilled potential

But the perception is still one of unfulfilled potential (or promises). People are tired of the excuses. We understand that coalition politics is hard. We understand that you can’t undo 60 years of baggage in three years. But we also need to see some backbone.

Very soon, the time will come when a general election will happen. Will the people vote for stability, even if it feels a bit stagnant? Will a 6.15 percent EPF dividend be enough to make them forget the U-turns and the unfulfilled reform promises? We will have to wait and see.

Eventually, I joined the two guys at the table next to me at the mamak. As we finished our drinks and food (with none of my work completed!), I realised that despite the complaining, we’re still here talking and debating.

I can’t speak for them, but I can say that I don’t want to be too cynical, and I’m not giving up.

Right now, the story the government is telling us is really a bit boring. It lacks the fire of the days when they were calling for reform.

Maybe it’s time for the government to stop playing it safe. As new age reform leaders, take the risks that you promised. We’ve been waiting too long. - Mkini

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ZAN AZLEE is a writer, documentary filmmaker, journalist and academic. Visit fatbidin.com to view his work.

The views expressed here are those of the author/contributor and do not necessarily represent the views of MMKtT.