What does the future hold for us?

A feeling of hopelessness pervades the nation. Many express disappointment, despair and depression. Is there a silver lining? Is there light at the end of the tunnel?

Malaysia is a complex country. It is not simply Malay versus non-Malay. It is not Muslim versus kafir. It is not Malay versus Chinese.

My experience tells me that not all Malays are antagonistic to non-Malays. Or fear them or see them as threats. Perhaps only a few. But politicians can, with their race and religious rhetoric and conspiracy theories, create anxiety and fear and lead the Malays this way or that way.

Malays are divided just as the Chinese are divided and Indians are divided. The Orang Asli are not represented. The people of Sabah and Sarawak appear to have leaders who do not represent them.

Not all Malays want a PAS-type Islamic state. Not all Malays want leaders who face criminal charges to come back to lead the nation. Not all Malays are happy with the way the Pakatan Harapan government went into voluntary liquidation, creating an opening for the opposition to come back to power. These Malays think and feel exactly like non-Malays.

There are many Malays who want a modern, progressive Malaysia. There are many Malays who accept that Malaysia is multiracial and multi-religious. We see evidence of that every day in the daily interaction of people everywhere.

The Chinese and Indians will not disappear from the country. They are Malaysians. And Malaysia is their home. Ahmad Zahid Hamidi cannot have more rights than me. My great-grandfather on my father’s side was Malayan.

Muslim women in Malaysia have more freedom and more independence than Muslim women in most Muslim-majority countries, except for Indonesia, which is a secular country. Indonesia has had a woman prime minister. One of the most dynamic of our ministers was Rafidah Aziz. 

And we also have inspirational women politicians like Nurul Izzah Anwar and Maria Chin Abdullah. Malay women are not going to allow their rights and their freedoms to be restricted by a more conservative brand of Islam.

Malaysia has sizable Buddhist, Hindu and Christian populations. Churches and temples dot our landscape along with mosques. In Sabah and Sarawak, Christians form a substantial component of the population. The terms upon which Sabah and Sarawak came into Malaysia places them on a separate footing from the other states. Our religious landscape is not going to change.

The new cabinet of the new government, to some extent, reflects the complexity of the country and its people. And our politics. Sarawak has nine ministers and deputy ministers. Clearly, cabinet appointments were made to ensure adequate support for the new prime minister.

Where is the hope for Malaysia?

We are a modern, progressive society, although uneven or misshapen in parts. We have a written Constitution. Under it, we are all equal citizens and freedom of worship is guaranteed. Our fundamental freedoms are guaranteed. Our democratic system of government is entrenched, as are our democratic institutions. We subscribe to the doctrine of separation of powers and to the rule of law. Our judiciary is independent. Corruption is an offence and discrimination unlawful and unconstitutional. 

We have a professional and competent civil service and police force. There are good people among them. They can be relied on to hold the line. There is now an expectation, because of what happened before, of a higher level of governance, principles and accountability.

It is only some of our politicians that let us down. Not all. They use race and religion to advance themselves, no matter how much damage they do. At this moment in time we are angry, dazed, confused, and some despair and say 'give up'.

Do not give up. This is only a moment in time. There are the past, the present and the future.

There are young people emerging. In 2021 millions of young people will be able to vote. The voting age will be 18, not 21. These young people are better educated. They are unencumbered by our historical baggage, prejudices and our politics of race. They will be idealistic, and they will be more engaged with the rest of the world than the old fogies among us.

They will be the harbingers of the change we want to see in this country.

A survey of the world will show us the carnage, death and destruction caused by so much conflict. Much of that conflict is caused by racial and religious division and by class and corruption. We are a peaceful country. We are a harmonious country where people of different races and religions interact happily with each day. We should not allow politicians to change that.

We should all embrace one another and help one another. We should combine our skills and energy to make this country a better country for all of us. First of all, and perhaps most of all, we should all work to eliminate poverty among our people.

So, people of Malaysia: Do not be discouraged by the antics and the behaviour of some of our politicians. Do not lose heart and hope. There will be sunshine tomorrow. New leaders will emerge from the young. And take us to a better place.

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DAVID DASS is a lawyer, a Malaysiakini subscriber and commentator.