ONE of the principles for nation-building in a multi-ethnic and religious society is the ability of the nation’s leaders to work with a heart of solidarity by immersing themselves in human reality and understanding the context of joy and suffering of the people they represent.
It is undoubtedly not about race and religion, it is about transcending such limited vision with a broader vision of embracing the goodness, beauty and truth in the other, knowing that such qualities are from the work of the divine creator.
It is not about a top-down ideological approach to issues, but rather a bottom-up and horizontal understanding of reality.
Christians in Malaysia celebrated Christmas with the belief that God became man to be in solidarity with human persons.
The Christmas story says that Jesus was born in a stable in Bethlehem and laid in a manger without glamour and luxury.
This was an antithesis to the mighty, opulent and kingly Roman empire.
The environment of the stable where animals masticate and defecate symbolises the reality of a child that was born in the most marginalised context.
The message of Christmas is rooted in love that embraces the reality of human conditions while transforming it with divine light.
Since the 15th general election, Malaysia has gone through the maturing process with the formation of a unity government, which shows some semblances of solidarity for the common good of the country even though imperfect in substance.
Prime Minister Datuk Seri Anwar Ibrahim has so far shown that he is willing to reject the opulence that came with unchecked authority.
For such an approach to bear fruit in the long term, it is vital that elected politicians are able to shun opulent and elite lifestyles and embrace the realities of the people around them so that they could articulate the truths and aspirations of the people accurately for progress rather than indulging in the half-baked race and religion narrative or narrowing down all issues to the economy.
Human reality should be understood from a spiritually holistic perspective.
May the spirit of Christmas that embraces and transforms reality be a source of unity among all Malaysians.
Ronald Benjamin
Secretary
Association for Welfare, Community and Dialogue
