Build bridges to connect with masses

I SORT of expected the results of the Semenyih by-election but facing the reality was rather hard. It’s not so much the fact that Pakatan Harapan had lost that made me feel sad. It’s that the results showed the thinking of two-thirds of the Malay voters there: It does not matter if a leader steals from them or lies to them as long as they are of their own race.

I have this belief: If a government is not good, we can change it; but if the problem lies with the mindset of the masses, then the future of the country is a huge question mark.

Having said that, Semenyih forced me to see the reality on the ground. Firstly, Malays are the majority. Secondly, our Malay fellow citizens have very different concerns. Finally, if we want successful communication between the different races, we must start by trying to understand each other and, hopefully, build bridges to connect.

The latest official stats show that, in 2010, Malays accounted for 64% of the population; that percentage will likely continue to grow because of the higher birth rate among Malays. Non-Malays will be a shrinking minority. Therefore, because of their numbers, more and more, it will be Malays who will shape the future of the country through their votes.

So if they believe the Umno-PAS rhetoric and choose them in the next General Election – through a clean and fair election process – and if we honestly believe in democracy through the ballot box, we will have to respect that outcome as the choice of the Malay majority. That’s what a democracy is about: the majority has the right to decide, and the minority must accept their decision.

The Semenyih results prove that Malays there do buy into the rhetorics of race and religion. They are uncomfortable seeing their own race having different opinions debating and arguing publicly with one another. They feel discomfort seeing non-Malays in top leadership positions. And so, the idea of a united Malay race speaks to them. More so when they’re overwhelmed by so much fake news, false accusations and racial incitement on social media.

If we want to find a reason for this divisive thinking, one explanation would be the racial segregation practised in schools, government departments and society in the past few decades. This kind of thinking frustrates those of us who hold tightly to the idea of meritocracy and rule-based instead of race-based justice.

Accepting that is really tough for many of us. That’s why over the last few years, many have chosen to leave the country, or have sent their children overseas, telling them not to come back despite the sad prospect of facing an empty nest without their kids in their old age. I personally know people who have, or whose children have, emigrated to South Korea, Japan, Australia, New Zealand and the UK in recent years.

But some of us aren’t giving up yet. We still want to try to bring about meaningful change to Malaysia, whether in our capacities as political leaders, civil society or just concerned ordinary citizens. Semenyih has shown, though, that sincere intentions and logical arguments alone can’t win. In any communication, unless we can tune into our audience’s needs first and use that as the starting point, there’s little chance of us persuading them.

And that’s why I feel non-Malays will have an uphill task, because they are already rejected before they open their mouths. In the presence of so much racial hatred, it is the enlightened, objective Malays who need to step forward in huge numbers to build those bridges to connect with their own race and guide them towards a better future. But first they must build those connections. Hopefully, PR and communication experts will jump to the fore to help with this.

This doesn’t mean the rest of us should just sit by the sidelines and watch. We can contribute, in whatever way our skills permit, towards building those bridges.

But focus first on those bridges, and don’t get distracted by other narratives. People are resourceful, and if we put our minds to it, we will find many ways to build all forms of bridges to connect with the masses.

I personally believe the way forward lies hugely in the hands of our Malay fellow Malaysians. It’s time for them to step forward.

LIMLI Petaling Jaya