Political maturity needs to be developed
IT is certainly a tall order governing the people of a country like Malaysia which is multi-racial, multi-religious and subscribes to different political ideologies. Unfortunately, each race now seems to be championing their own rights using the medium of social media.
In this IT era, there is a massive flow of information from various sources, both reputable and disputable. Thus, one has to be able to discern the truths from the halftruths, mere allegations and even slanderous statements. Unless and until we are able to do this, we will still be just a “developing” nation in terms of political awareness and education.
One may argue that the freedom of speech enshrined in the Constitution for all Malaysians allows us to speak our mind and voice our grievances. But there are proper channels and ways to do that.
While we should always base our arguments on fact and figures, I must admit that it is getting increasingly difficult to differentiate between what is right and wrong due to the fact that spin doctors employed by various parties have resorted to blurring the line between the truth and sheer lies. That is why the public often get confused or even fooled by those propagating their “truths”.
To avoid this, we must always bear in mind that there are two sides of a coin. We should look at the whole picture and analyse the differing perceptions before making an independent stand on any issue.
There is a saying: “We should learn to agree to disagree agreeably.” In a civilised and democratic society, at times we should not oppose for the sake of opposing. When something is worth implementing and it benefits a large section of the population, it should be commended. However, some people seem to object to almost everything blindly and the language they use is also improper and unbecoming of a politically maturing society.
If one is unhappy or not satisfied with the implementation or proposal of policies, one should point out what is wrong and why, and provide suggestions for improvement. It is all too easy to disagree with someone, but to “disagree agreeably” with relevant points and solutions is another matter altogether.
In short, if a politician or layperson is able to practise what he/she preaches and responds to issues or accusations in a civilised manner, hats off to him or her regardless of his/her political beliefs, race or religion. Maybe this is how educated Malaysians are judging the politicians in our fast-changing political landscape today.
Hence, a delicate balancing act by politicians from all sides is needed to ensure prosperity and racial harmony in Malaysia.
Let us continue to build our nation through mature and practical political education.
PATRICK LEE Segamat, Johor