Malaysian religious and identity politics

If  any of the Young Turks politicians that has  the substance of integrity  and strong instincts for principles ,sick and tired with the identity politics practised in Malaysia for past 60 years.And such politician individuals are  able to find and forge alliances with each other with same aspirations and idealisms.

And some of them already currently  high profiled politicians.

Convincing fellow idealistic politicians that may have convictions and idealisms in common .with same unwavering principles and values.

These will ideally be individuals with a common stance , common ground to stand on. And firm idealistic platform to form a some fresh political party that can  mount a credible challenge to the status quo of the establishment and even stand a chance to be elected to govern

.Although the challenge is to be able to find enough in numbers of like minded youthful politicians with same idealistic visions for the country. Onus is for the leader organizer to assemble  together this team ,that in turn can mobilize others with their youthful energetic zeal,to their idealism. And this strength in numbers that can slowly grow exponentially.

Politicians in a party, comprising young forward thinking individuals with substance and vision for the country’s future,that is based on 21st century requirements of society ,with the relevant evolving values , these Young Turks showing they are unafraid to take on  the establishment status quo .

Have guts to stand firm on their  ground. Refusing conformation as a matter of principle.  Despite knowing enemies will be made that will do their utmost to knock them off the perch.

In a way ,initially it ll be like ,young and inexperienced challenging older more established  politicians ,with experience ,influence and clout . And feel outnumbered by these older political players , many from  the wealthy and powerful social  elites,well connected with political muscle and with the  money,power and  influence to cast competition aside..

But somehow,if the public imagination can be captured by these young turks with their vision of the future for this country. There is a a powerful segment of millenials in society that can relate to these minds and may just prop them up to Putra Jaya.

A wave unforeseen in the energies of the youth that thirst for change in how things are done. And feel a fresh vibrance and new energies to the Malaysian Govt.

And contenders  for PM  , who knows, anybody who is potential  PM material will generally be pushed out on a pedestal as a born leader,  but he will have to win confidence from the public .

And in the current inescapable identity politics environment of Malaysia.

Alliances of politicians ,that are from the best and brightest of them, get together to form a political party to campaign for federal power, offering legitimate challenge to the conventional political parties in power,lead by the old school politicians with set ways in place for decades.Offering options to the stale ways of governing a nation and time to upgrade to 21st century  forward thinking methods .

The new generation politicians  deriving their power from the young and disillusioned .Or those who feel hemmed and constricted by powerful clerics imposing their design on lifestyles and society,  denying them any say , and that they also  lack the courage to do so.Challenging  powerful religious clergy is like asking to be ostracized and seen as treacherous to own faith . So no choice but to  conform .

Just takes one convincing ,idealistic and very strong aura of an  individual politician,who can reconcile all to a common idealism, set differences aside, and have the conviction and to form an organized front with that  strong energetic progressive leader .

A one who can project hope and optimism,with strong confidence in personal values .  Then, perhaps there may be a chance for the country to have a revival of optimism and  of hopeful aspirations to be rekindled,for all in the nation’s multi-ethnic cultural/faith communities.

There is currently  a peculiar unsettling thorny feeling ,of a sense of  “having chosen the same old dirty  broom to sweep up the dirty house” , a bitter sense of irony and disappointment in hearts and minds of  many Malaysians .

An overwhelming cynical  sentiment felt acutely now , by the voting public , towards the current coalition party in Govt , that was voted in by them and given the mandate to rule . As they committed in promises to clean up the country. But having failed miserably at it ,  unable to inspire any hope whatsoever . But instead have massively and deplorably dissappointed all the communities that pinned such high hopes on them ,believing in their promises to effect revolutionary transformation of the country!

But as if , as soon as this new Govt took charge and momentum settled down,seems that this new administration was unable to fend off the rot of money politics that equates to power in Malaysian political sphere. The rot of the political status quo in place and played for past 60 years  is  too deeply rooted and entrenched in psyches of Malaysian politicians.

And they are politics that comes with the associative treacherous  sordid political games, i.e.  manipulation of mindsets en masse , hate mongering against political parties that throws shade to ethnic groups in obvious ploy to divide and rule. Ruthless and sinister  politicians using these games to prolong their survival and preserve their power that they can enrich themselves exploiting their acquired power and have access to generating of national wealth.

Some of the ruthless and unscrupulous games in local politics are  like , encouraging ethnocentrism , stirring xenophobic sentiments, condoning bigotry , continuing racial discrimination in guise of affirmative action for the marjority, amplifying  high pitched demands for  ethnic entitlement and special preference in education ,employment,commercial opportunities , manipulation of allocation of govt projects to the ethnic marjority. A clear monopolizing of the national wealth generating  pie. And dropping  crumbs when groans get louder.

It is willingly and knowingly sidelining and psychologically bullying the minority communities into a sense of despair and grief,for to challenge or question is to face a backlash of condemnation, questioning or challenge back by minority will  usually get  outnumbered and scream back much louder in sheer volume, since it’s the marjority retaliating!

Practices like these becoming a given norm,and that politicians refusal or reluctance to be a complicit player, is likely to result in being estranged ,alienated or repudiated. An outcast from the exclusive club of corrupting money politics.

Only way that can rejuvenate Malaysian governance and to steer the nation back to its original intended course to the once charted goal of a  progressive and developed country destination ,is to revamp and overhaul the entire structure of Governance and imposition of a new and different societal value system. That is more mutually accommodative in the context of the Malaysian multi-cultural backdrop. Borrowed from the most neutral noble values of religion that can be adaptable and reconciliable to all communities and introduced into our secular value systems  and laws as  determined by the Malaysian constitution

And meantime ,there ought to be efforts to discourage indoctrination of extremist and  fundamentalist ideas and values based on religious thoughts.  To weed out clerics who knowingly and deliberately exploit susceptible minds of believers and devoted followers of Faith with Almighty fearing spiritual piety .

Those irresponsibly or themselves ,just as narrow minded and ignorant perhaps, encouraging isolationism and exclusivity, who adamantly insist ethnic communities must be discouraged to intermingle due to religious beliefs.

Religious supremacy transcends all.  Which just forments the  sense of inter communal mistrust ,suspicion due to the differing belief systems. As the  fear of the Almighty’s disapproval is preached ,creating a nervous sense of apprehension and uncertainty with exaggerated reminders of religious taboos that must be strictly abided by or  incur the  wrath of divinity. And results in an entire community of believers, to be afraid to interact with others and integration efforts of the communities becomes very daunting, due to compromised mindsets,indoctrinated to be wary and suspicious and resentful of the other ethnic-religious  communities.

Such are the challenges of changing the attitudes and convincing many mindsets amongst the Malaysian masses,who have been taught to have qualms in inter communal interaction,and to gradually help their mindsets  adapt to  and be acceptive of other cultural idiosyncracies, that places them out of their comfort zone..

Also persuade these  minds that ,it is the current age of modernity , and values have evolved and adapted  into  21st century. living.

Minds like these can  be introduced to other international communities with same environment of Malaysia and with same religious marjority ,  yet have lived with religious  interpretations of teachings of the holy book , made relevant to modern times lifestyles and living..

And that , slowly generate  the realization, it is only in Malaysia , that the clerics are mainly over exaggerating religious rules and guidelines to piety, to maintain their manipulative hold and sway over the followers mindsets.The clerics all derive their power from the faithful.The stronger the believer, the more sway the religious cleric has over their  mindsets.

There is the concern that our local politicians or religious clerics will just carry on messing with the  country’s  multi cultural communities well being , pitting communities against each other , for their political survival ,power preservation,or hold over hearts and minds of things spiritual,  till there is no room for cooperation or compromise. Dragging the country and people down and sabotaging the inter community’s good amiable relations.And one day,the Malaysia we thought we know is not recognizable any more.

Malaysia truly needs genuine PM ,a leader that will stand and defend all Malaysians.

Regardless of cultural background,a PM that will not back off from any challenges or cave to any protest from any quarter in society,particularly those from the segment of the demanders of entitlement and privilidges just because they are the marjority and feel supremacy above the rest of other Malaysians.

There will be the those that accuses a PM of favoritism of one ethnic community or another,and betrays his own racial community. But , as long as such a leader  feels his principles are right,not waver and will not pander nor appease the racial supremacist . And will hold upright ,principles that  abhors  social injustices.

So many of the millennials have come of age and eligible to vote. There is like a whole wave of them , in the sidelines , but they are giving their votes to the old political farts,for lack of choices, with same old rhetorical posturings, or not voting at all.

Malaysia ought by now feel to have more than enough already, of old expired coots ,running for political office, and then when  elected, stay detached and lessen human contacts with constituents.And esp the young and idealistic,totally out of touch with their thoughts and visions , of a future they see.

And as for the faith based political party,voted in, then when they do decide to impose their authority, usually will be overharping on morality issues, down to the petty trivial things,that seems so absurd and ludicrous,but may seriously cause doubts to impressionable young minds , affecting an entire generation of these very young minds who may grow up uncertain to stay sheltered in their religious cocoon  or join real secular world activities to live normally and progress.

This country of Malaysia ,genuinely needs a breadth of fresh air, in Governance . New policies , much fresher ministers and innovative MPs with genuine ideas.

What comes to mind for that to happen is like a play of many of the often used  proverbial phrases … ” to really drain the swamp” and “cut off every rotting root” –  “infusion of fresh young blood” and “bleed out stale clotted bloodstream” .  “Chop off all old decaying or deadwood”  in the Malaysian political swamp.  Otherwise the zero sum game of identity politics will just go round and round in circles until at some point, something has got to give or the whole thing collapses. And the Malaysian people are left to pick up what shattered pieces are left.