Anwar and the inspiration behind ‘madani’

 

Anwar Ibrahim's administration will be guided by the ‘Malaysia Madani’ concept to replace Ismail Sabri Yaakob’s Keluarga Malaysia' tagline.

The new tagline came as part of the theme of the prime minister's Budget 2023 dialogue yesterday titled "Developing Malaysia Madani".

Below is a brief explanation of the concept in this country.

Concept of ‘madani’ in Malaysia

Anwar is said to have begun his interest and spoken about the concept of madani (civil) as early as in the 1970s when he was still studying at Universiti Malaya.

According to former Angkatan Belia Islam Malaysia president Anuar Tahir, Anwar, during that period, spoke extensively about issues of poverty, marginalised groups, corruption and the importance of the government to create a fair society.

It was emphasised in more detail by Anwar when he wrote and completed the book ‘The Asian Renaissance’ which was published in 1996.

Due to Anwar’s desire and interest in the idea, Anuar said the former introduced the term masyarakat madani as an interpretation of the term civil society.

However, Anuar said the idea did not receive any response from intellectuals in Malaysia but was warmly received when it was presented to the public during the Istiqlal Festival in Jakarta, Indonesia.

Definition of ‘madani’

In a simple explanation, the Dewan Bahasa dan Pustaka defines madani as being “developed in terms of thinking, spirituality and materiality”.

It also refers to efforts to shape society by instilling good family values.

History

According to Osman Bakar, a professor emeritus of philosophy at the Universiti Malaya, the earliest figures who discussed the word madani were Abu Nasr Muhammad Al-Farrabi (Al-Farabi), Abdul Rahman Muhammad Khaldun (Ibn Khaldun) and Abu Ali Aḥmad Muḥammad Yaqub Miskawayh (Ibn Miskawayh).

It is said that they were successful in conducting mature and in-depth discussions pertaining to madani compared to previous thinkers and philosophers.

Osman said Al-Farabi used the word madani and madaniyyah broadly in his writings, especially in the political field and through various contexts.

For instance, he used madani (al-ilm al-madani) to refer to the branch of political science. However, some considered the usage of madani in that context to be less accurate.

This is because there is another word that is considered to better describe the real political situation and that is siasah.

The clearer and more comprehensive meaning of madani, based on Al-Farabi and other thinkers’ explanation, is the science of civilisation.

Al-Farabi was of the view that there are two main parts to the science of madani.

First, the field of study on various types of human behaviour and the way of life including morality and soul issues.

The science of madani will be able to distinguish between happiness whether it is true/real happiness or vice versa. It also explains that the ultimate goal of human life is to achieve eternal happiness.

It will be achieved if people have praiseworthy qualities through the appreciation of positive attributes and noble deeds.

The second part of the science of madani is:

• Studies on the method of organising the moral system and commendable character as well as the moral way of living in a country,

• The role and function of political institutions - especially involving the government - to ensure the existence of manners and order,

• Programmes/activities that guarantee the preservation of good manners for the country,

• Types of political systems that are not based on good morals, roles played, habits and ways of life that are intended to be created through the government system.

In his writing ‘Agama dan Budaya Teras Masyarakat Madani’ (Jurnal Usuluddin, June 30, 1997), Osman explained that based on Al-Farabi’s views, a madani society is a society formed on the basis of working together to achieve true happiness for all its members.

In a civil society, each member cooperates with the other, and it is not only for personal interest but for a common interest.

Therefore, he said, the group is considered civilian. They want happiness and perfection for all mankind.

In the book ‘Fusul al-Madani’, Al-Farabi explained that madani at a low level is a society that cooperates with each other to achieve personal, material happiness.

Meanwhile, at a high level, civil society means each member develops a high level of civilisation, together, with the goal of finding and upholding the truth, achieving happiness, cultivating a love for knowledge and prospering society with noble deeds.

Ibn Miskawayh, when explaining the meaning of madaniyyah, said it refers to the prosperity achieved through cooperation, as well as the justice in the community and the government that always looks after the welfare of the people.

Madani in the 1990s

On Sept 26, 1996, when delivering a lecture at the Istiqlal Festival in Jakarta, Anwar stated, among other things: “What we mean by a civil society is a fertile social system based on moral principles that guarantee a balance between individual freedom and community stability."

He also touched on an efficient and fair social system and the implementation of governance that follows the will of the law, rather than individual lust or desire, as well as the importance of transparency in governing.

A social and economic system that is not transparent and tainted by widespread corruption, Anwar said, will not only keep investors at bay but even worse, oppress the majority of the people.

An atmosphere such as the widespread extreme attitudes, poverty and destitution, injustice, ignorance, and intellectual fatigue is a sign of a civil crisis.

In the context of Malaysia, Anwar said, the priority is to create a stable political system based on democracy, eradicating poverty and destitution, and distributing the economy equitably.

Each aspect is interrelated and will only be successful if all of them could be addressed.

The government fulfils its responsibilities and trust, while the people support the government’s efforts to make economic and social reforms a success.

Madani today

In the current context, the term madani introduced by the government as the national policy refers to six main components that involve:

• Sustainability (keMampanan)

• Wellbeing (kesejAhteraan)

• Creativity (Daya cipta)

• Respect (hormAt)

• Confidence (keyakiNan)

• Ihsan (Ihsan)

This was stated by Anwar in his latest book ‘Membangun Negara Madani: Visi dan Kerangka Dasar Reformasi Anwar’.

All those components are emphasised to work together so that a more humane policy can be produced by the country.

All government policies are formulated and implemented through consultation and feedback from the people.

In the policy of ‘Malaysia Madani’, the goal to be achieved is a society that is advanced, skilled and inclusive. - Mkini