FIND THE COMMON DENOMINATOR

To become a cohesive society, there must be historical and current markers that would create a sense of belonging and camaraderie among Malaysians

MALAYSIA stands on a threshold, which promises an integrative society if one takes the support for Pakatan Harapan that transcends racial and religious prejudices as a harbinger of such a promise. But it will not happen overnight for the journey has only just begun and we have to surmount pitfalls of religious bigotry, chauvinistic biases and feudalistic sentiments.

It is not as simple as breaking fast together or participating in multiracial projects and activities. What is required is a mental and attitude change, and willingness to address core issues that pose as stumbling blocks to integration.

For the past 60 years since independence, efforts at integration have not actually met the desired outcome because there are politicians and parties who use the racial card to win votes. They have created fear and apprehension, as well as suspicion among their people to trust only “their own” to safeguard and promote their interests.

Then there are politicians who play with religious sentiments, threatening their followers with hell fire if they are disloyal to the party’s religious struggle. Such parties prey on the naivety of their rural supporters.

In addition, there is the attempt by some to play feudalistic sentiments by championing the royal institutions, contending that the Malays would be lost without the royal patronage. The objective of these ploys is to keep Malays on crutches and be forever dependent, thus easily exploited.

After the 14th General Election, a new political equation in the form of Pakatan Harapan, a coalition of strange bedfellows emerged with the desire to save the country and make a better Malaysia.

The hallmark of this political equation is that it generates a cohesive force that transcends the racial, religious and economic divide. It brings together people from different walks of life with the fervent desire to save the country. It is an integrative force.

Despite the embryonic positive developments, the nation is still not fully integrated, especially along racial, political, provincial, religious and educational lines.

Each community is trying to reassert its identity through physical expressions, dressings, language, culture and education. There is a tendency to emphasise differences rather than similarities — talk about us and them — about minority rights and the need to recognise their special needs.

Attempts at unity and integration through the tenets of the Rukun Negara, a national language and a single educational system have yet to materialise.

There is a dire need to subscribe to common denominators to achieve integration. Thus far, we have been giving lip service to denominators of one language, integrated educational system, national culture and religious tolerance.

What is more important is to change the people’s mindset to integrate and this is not easily achieved. The mindset of some communities is beset with negative sentiments towards other communities. For example, the political minds of the older Malay generation have been conditioned with feudal sentiments and undivided loyalty to the authorities. And the Malay psyche has been implanted with the syndrome of helplessness and dependency, and fear of other communities encroaching on their domain and birth rights.

The Chinese mind, too, has been implanted with suspicion and mistrust of other communities and that their future, language and culture are constantly under threat. Salvation lies with those championing the Chinese dogma.

It is the same with the Indians, but their leaders have not done much to alleviate their economic plight. Nevertheless, they are more amenable to gel with Malaysian sentiments.

The current scenario does not augur well for the future. We need to plan and implement social reengineering that addresses the issues of education, provincial sentiments, religious bigotry and ethnic chauvinism. We have to find a common denominator that would gel people into a cohesive whole.

This effort should not be misconstrued as a political chauvinism in favour of certain ethnic groups, but one that is crucial in the development of an integrative society. To become a cohesive society that has a singular vision of unity within a diversity, we need to set up markers — both historical and current — that would create a sense of belonging and camaraderie among the people so that they would be proud to be Malaysians.

It is imperative that we abide by the tenets of the Constitution and the social contract designed by our founding fathers. The historical perspective of these two documents should guide us towards an integrative society.

Despite the stumbling blocks that hinder integration, Malaysia has shown resilience and steadfastness in becoming an integrated society, as shown by the restructuring of governance by the new government.

It has affirmed that the rule of law, meritocracy and affirmative action as being inclusive in governance. Such an attitude would augur well for an integrated and united Malaysia.

We need to plan and implement social reengineering that addresses the issues of education, provincial sentiments, religious bigotry and ethnic chauvinism. We have to find a common denominator that would gel the people into a cohesive whole.

The writer is an emeritus professor of Performing Arts at the School of Arts, Universiti Sains Malaysia, Penang