AS we continue to celebrate and observe festivals in a variety of ways, we forget the underlying principle behind such observance. Regardless of race and religion, there is always a common thread, one which promotes unity, peace and prosperity.
Recently, the Hindus and Chinese concluded nine days of prayers steeped in rights and rituals, which added colour and vivacity to our otherwise mediocre existence. In just weeks from now, another major Hindu festival will be greeting us and I see malls already decorated for the occasion.
It is that time of the year when non-Indians join in the fiesta right from shopping for sweets and savouries to traditional attire and greeting each other.
You will realise kurta and kurti have come of age with its acceptance breaking the traditional barriers and peaking during the Hindu festival. Shoppers are not just Indians but other races who throng the bazaars for bargains.
Incidentally, I am also one of those who hit the malls for good collections of kebaya and baju kurung during the Aidil Fitri shopping season.
The commoners (read non-politicians) have learnt to accept, receive, adopt and emulate each other’s culture with a positive mind in the name of solidarity and unity. I have yet to come across any uncouth words or behaviour directed at me from my friends and colleagues from other races and religions.
What is the problem then? Politics! This single most dreaded word of horror is tearing Malaysia apart with uncalled for hate-activities. Politicians are by design, without conscience and their only goal is political mileage. I have said this repeatedly and I stand by my view, unapologetically.
Politicians make statements, shooting from the hip, without fear or favour. Like an elephant on a rampage, they go up to the last mile to ensure their slanted views and words reach the most obscure corners.
If only the politicians are able to use their machinery to do the same in educating and creating a more informed and balanced society, it would go a long way in capturing our reputation as a truly diverse nation built on unity.
In this context, we have a choice on how we wish to live our life? The prime minister is the lighthouse for the hopefuls and every action and word from the leader decides the country’s future.
The irony is too glaring to ignore when the prime minister launched another vision, Shared Prosperity Vision 2030 (SPV), reportedly a continuation of Vision 2020 which ends next year, prematurely without having achieved its objectives, or have I missed the celebration?
Every Malaysian is well acquainted with the phrase Wawasan 2020 which means Vision 2020 in English. Vision 2020 was launched by Mahathir in 1990. It was announced as the New Economic Policy (NEP) was coming to end after 20 years.
The main goals of Vision 2020 was to modernise and develop our country based on its own model and develop that nation economically, politically, socially, spiritually, psychologically and culturally. In achieving those goals nine challenges were listed.
For my purpose, I would like to pick on just two. The first and most important of the nine being, “Establish a united Malaysian nation with a sense of common and shared destiny. This must be a nation in peace with itself, territorially and ethnically integrated, living in harmony and full and fair partnership, made up of one Malaysian race with political loyalty and dedication towards the nation”.
In the context of the first challenges, which looks like a deliverable to me, we have not come far with this, rather we have digressed into the darkness of tension brewing on the grounds of racialism. Then and now, racial integration has topped our concern and the need to have single a race, Bangsa Malaysia, has become critical.
Singing the national anthem at events does not add worth to this single race vision; having posters and billboards with races depicted in colours coming together does not amount to bridging the gaps towards Bangsa Malaysia; and holding an open house during major festivals is not the magic potion that will bring the races together. Education and awareness are key.
Another challenge identified in Vision 2020 as it was launched then is, “Ensuring an economically just society in which there is a full partnership in economic progress. Such a society cannot be in place so long as there is the identification of economic backwardness with race”.
I suppose the nation’s leaders have all the statistics that cannot lie and they also know why the figures are tilting in a particular way, hence, instead of treating the symptoms, why not look at the cause?
What is the yardstick to qualitatively and quantitatively measure the success of Vision 2020? If we are still at the starting point after 30 years, it is time for the leaders to own up and make amends. Another vision, with its obscure plans and promises sounds like another empty vessel.
Having said that, in the spirit of Malaysia Baru, if we persist and want to regain Malaysia’s lost glory, it may not be too late if the politicians see what we, the commoners see. As they say, “when there is no enemy within, the enemies outside cannot hurt you”.
Comment: letters@thesundaily.com
