Zaid's LESSON IN LEADERSHIP for Najib: A Perkasa 2.0 to help Malays in a positive way, not incite RACISM!

Perkasa has been hogging the headlines for over two years now, causing widespread public fear and concern with its wild rants and aggressive stances on delicate subjects such as race and religion in the country.

Some members of the public have reacted by disputing Perkasa’s claims or even mocking the group. Despite the widespread acrimony that has come out of this, we have yet to hear anything constructive from our Government leaders about how these issues should be resolved. To take such a tidak apa attitude in this situation is truly irresponsible.

If the political ramifications of taking Perkasa on are too much to bear, may I suggest that Malay political and community leaders who see the futility and danger of Perkasa’s tactics work together to spread positive messages to the Malays by actions and deeds.

Grouping together to spread positivity

One such message is that the wellbeing of the Malays is better assured by doing things that change their lives for the better. The Government has a multitude of communication channels at its disposal to disseminate this message easily.

At the same time, there are many “towering Malays” (by that I mean ordinary Malays who are fairly successful without necessarily having titles or penthouse in Knightsbridge) who can initiate a different kind of dialogue with the Malay community.

They need to get organised, perhaps work with other groups, to take their message of positive change to the ground. Their personal stories on how they each achieved success—the problems they encountered and how they overcame them—can be inspiring, and can give new insight to young Malays who hope to venture into similar fields.

Instead of hurling abuse and spreading fear in the community, this approach will show younger Malays how they can have a successful life by being positive and proactive.

Perkasa’s many followers can be made to see that the path to success does not have to be divisive and that there are many options available. At the very least, the process of reaching out to the Malays can help them overcome the anger and fear they are experiencing.

I must congratulate Perkasa attracting so many followers; indeed, its nearly 500,000 members tell us that we need to look into the reasons why Malays are drawn to the group. Young Malays must have genuine concerns and legitimate grievances for this to be so.

Whatever grievances they may have, they need to be told that there are peaceful solutions, if we care to look for them. All the Malays need is some guidance.

Successful Malays - come out and help

There are many instances where specific and practical ideas can be implemented to assist Malays who are disenchanted with the policies of the Government. The Government and successful Malays need to counter Perkasa’s agenda by offering differing methods and solutions that are more relevant and useful—and far less harmful—than what Perkasa offers.

The Malays have many problems, just as other Malaysians have many problems. Some of them are not satisfied with their working conditions and some do not even earn sufficiently to lead a fulfilling life. They have no skills they can use to further their careers or they have no role models to look up to.

If the successful Malays can get organised to spread the message of hope and help young Malays to look at things differently, perhaps they will not be interested to be followers of Perkasa.

Perkasa may be concerned about the welfare of the Malays but its leaders offer little by way of practical solutions. Meanwhile, the blame game they have adopted will not stop the Malays who are backwards from moving forward.

Perkasa’s aggressive negativity will have a lasting effect not just on the Malays but on the delicate balance of inter-communal relations as a whole, unless it is replaced with new thinking and ideas that are positive and fulfilling. This is what is needed urgently.

Give meaning to Endless Possibilities slogan

The new agenda is to convince Perkasa members of the “endless possibilities” for them in the country. The whole world is changing rapidly and so is our country. There are just too many things to learn and to master, whether it is the effects of the new digital age or the opening up of the economy.

Internal strife brings nothing useful to anyone. Society is undergoing a revolution that requires new sets of skills and new attitudes. Everywhere we go, we see the dynamics of change.

It makes sense for the Malays to be made interested in these developments. Let them be sufficiently equipped to take full advantage of what this new world offers. If this approach is taken, we can then slowly open a dialogue with Perkasa and then with the rest of the country.

It is incumbent on our leaders to take the lead, to leave behind the usual political mantras that are no longer suited to the modern world and bring about attitudes of change in the people. This will be useful for them to reap the rewards of all the development the Government has already planned for.

The leaders must of course believe in the new message themselves; otherwise, their credibility will be questioned and Perkasa 2.0 will gain no traction.

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