It is not too late to rebuild Malaysia

 

Many people may think Malaysia is divided, dysfunctional and doomed; where racism, extremism, sexism, religious fanaticism and nationalism threaten our way of life.

In truth, Malaysia can be rebuilt into the nation that was once the pride of Asia.

Sabahans and Sarawakians have placed one foot out the door of the two states' 58-year union with Malaya. Even the people of Johor and the northern states of Kelantan, Kedah, and Perlis have their own versions of an independent state. Why?

The answer is this - Putrajaya is not listening and many states do not feel their views are taken into consideration by the federal government.

The economic recession hit various communities differently and the manner in which the coronavirus threat is tackled has confirmed the belief of many Malaysians that Putrajaya is clueless about their needs.

Ministers fail to consult, communicate, and coordinate the needs of the different communities. To make matters worse, they fail to ensure ministers themselves obey the rules. All trust breaks down. It exposes the legitimacy and credibility of those in authority. All these do not foster national unity.

A few months ago, when Malaysians in Kuala Lumpur were able to easily book slots to be vaccinated, people in outlying cities like Ipoh had allegedly been told to wait a few months.

Worse still, there was talk they would have to pay for being vaccinated.

Former Perak menteri besar Ahmad Faizal Azumu

Former Perak menteri besar Ahmad Faizal Azumu, who was given ministerial status for his role as special advisor to former prime minister Muhyiddin Yassin, paid a visit to a vaccination centre in Shah Alam, Selangor.

Many Malaysians were furious. Why visit a location in an urban area when people in rural areas, like the Orang Asli quarantine centre in Sungkai, were desperate for help?

The lack of proper planning and foresight exposes the failures of Putrajaya. It may control the country's resources but fails to understand what is happening on the ground.

Issues like these show that it is not just a Perak, or a Sarawak or a Kelantan problem. More importantly, it is a Malaysian problem.

Those in Putrajaya are ignorant. Officials in outlying areas may have greater knowledge, but they have few resources.

The sad fact is that people in Putrajaya do not want to admit they have a problem. They are inflexible and insensitive. They hate to acknowledge that we are a multicultural and diverse nation.

Look at how the holders of the Malaysia My Second Home (MM2H) are treated. Despite contributing to the economy in many ways, Putrajaya wants to place them into a straitjacket of their own version of Malaysia.

So how should we rebuild Malaysia?

First. To rebuild the nation, the citizens of Malaysia must be treated equally. Resources, power, and opportunities should be distributed fairly across the nation. Aid should be needs-based, and not race or religion-based.

However, Putrajaya strongly believes they know best. The average rural dweller in the interior of Sarawak, Sabah, or Kelantan knows what is best for them but more often than not, these people are ignored or sidestepped.

Veveonah Mosibin

In 2020, Sabahan teenager, Veveonah Mosibin, had to climb a tree to find sufficiently smooth internet to complete her online examination.

Despite showing initiative and courage, the foundation student was called a fraud by then deputy communication and multimedia minister Zahidi Zainul Abidin.

He claimed that Veveonah wanted to make her videos viral because she was a YouTuber.

Second. For Malaysia to be successful, there must be interaction and good communication among all layers of government.

For at least one decade, the residents of Sungai Petani have complained about air, river and soil pollution from the burning of plastic waste, as well as toxic wastes being dumped into rivers and soil.

Enforcement officers have allegedly received large sums of money to close one eye. Whistleblowers say they have been threatened and "syndicates" were said to operate illegally.

Although the pollution in Sungai Petani is reported in major newspapers and on social media, Putrajaya appears oblivious to the polluting activities in these outlying areas.

Those affected want a ban on the import of unwanted waste from developed countries to stop the polluting activities. Is Putrajaya listening? Why is there a disconnect between local government and Putrajaya?

Third. For Malaysians to believe in a shared future, it is important that we have shared values. The destructive talk about Malaysia existing just for the Malays is wrong and causes much disunity.

A united Malaysia is not just about economic rights and responsibilities, but also a story about shared values, and cultural and historical bonds that unite us.

We need to build a narrative about the present and the future that is built on the foundations of shared experience and values of the various communities that built Malaysia.

The nationalists who demand a Malay or Islamic Malaysia will always blame others for any failures. The nationalists will always divide the country into "them" and "us".

So, how much longer will the politicians in Putrajaya remain tone-deaf and insensitive to the needs of Malaysians? - Mkini

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MARIAM MOKHTAR is a defender of the truth, the admiral-general of the Green Bean Army, and president of the Perak Liberation Organisation (PLO). Blog, Twitter.

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