Sometimes I feel so disheartened and saddened when up and coming politicians’ first modus operandi is to indulge in extremism to gather attention. To them, this is the most effective and convenient way to achieve stardom, never mind the adverse impact they will cause the nation.

I am referring to another call to shut down vernacular schools, this time by another politician in the hurry to claim the power ladder. Bersatu Youth chief Wan Ahmad Fayhsal Wan Ahmad Kamal should have known better whether vernacular schools are indeed the cause of disunity and lack of nationalistic feeling for this country.

Disunity is multidimensional. The cause is more than just race or language. Uneven resource allocations, ill-conceived policies that yield poor or no results, unfairness in accruing privileges to the favoured class and endemic corruption are all causes of intra- and interracial disunity.

How can Fayhsal look at national unity through one simplistic lens? I think he and I know that achieving national unity is a complex issue but I guess this is least of his concerns right now.

It is indeed horse manure to assert that those from vernacular schools are not “nationalistic”. How do we define nationalistic? By their fluency in the national language alone?

Being nationalistic is our ability to identify with Malaysia and supporting its interests.

I am quite sure studying in a vernacular school and knowing one or two languages more will not make us less nationalistic.

On the other hand, I know what is not nationalistic. If we earn a big income but avoid or evade paying taxes, that is not nationalistic. If we are incompetent and unable to contribute meaningfully, that is not nationalistic.

If we indulge in endemic corruption causing irreparable damage to the country, that is not nationalistic.

If we deliberately cause fissures among the people by indulging in racial and religious politics, that is not nationalistic.

If we think of power, positions and our own interests on the pretext of serving the nation, that is not nationalistic.

Everything politicians say and do will have intended and unintended consequences in the future. I urge caution for all of them. Don’t be like a loose cannon talking in a chat group.   - Mkini