What is Malaysia's greatest achievement in the last 50 years of

Merdeka (independence)?
It is our ability to maintain a remarkable degree of interethnic
peace! "y interethnic peace #e mean a minimum of communal
violence over five decades of independence and a ma$imum of
tolerance% compromise and ad&ustment among the different
communities that constitute the Malaysian nation!
Why should one consider this an accomplishment? Most other multi
ethnic societies% even those that are far less comple$ than Malaysia
in demographic% cultural% religious% political and economic terms%
cannot boast of such a record! 'or the sake of comparison% look at
t#o other multiethnic countries% Indonesia and India% both of #hich
also attained nationhood in (ugust% the first in )*+5 and the second
in )*+,! In both cases% there has been much more communal and
political violence!
-here are a variety of reasons #hich e$plain our relative success in
managing ethnic relations! -he #illingness of the indigenous Malay
elite in the fifties to accommodate a si.eable nonindigenous
population in #hat #as historically a Malay polity through the
conferment of common citi.enship #as undoubtedly a key factor!
/iti.enship guaranteed the economic% political and social rights of
the /hinese and Indians and afforded protection to their languages%
cultures and religions! -he /hinese and Indian leaders in turn
reciprocated by recogni.ing the special position of the Malays% apart
from accepting the three symbols of the Malay polity0 Malay as the
national and official language1 Islam as the religion of the Malaysian
'ederation1 and the Malay rulers as the constitutional heads of
various states in the federation and the federation itself!
It is this 2uid pro 2uo that is often referred to as 3the social
contract4 among the Malaysian communities! It is reflected in
various provisions of the Malaysian /onstitution! It has resulted in a
certain e2uilibrium% a balance of sorts% #hich has been fundamental
to the preservation of interethnic peace in the country in the last
50 years! -he (lliance in the initial years of Merdeka% and no# the
"arisan 5asional% have been the main conduits through #hich this
e2uilibrium has been sustained!
-here are other achievements that #e can be proud of! 6artly
because of the interethnic peace that prevails% #e have en&oyed
continuous political stability! 6eaceful% orderly political succession is
one of the manifestations of this! 5either political stability nor
orderly political succession has emerged as an established norm in
many parts of the 7lobal 8outh!
8imilarly% Malaysia has been a functioning% constitutional state
#hich upholds to a certain e$tent the basic principles of democratic%
civilian rule! -his again is the e$ception rather than the rule in post
colonial (sia and (frica% #hich have #itnessed numerous military
coups! (n elected parliament and state assemblies elections have
been held regularly #ithin the constitutionally stipulated time frame
remain the source of legislation! -he e$ecutive at federal and
state level continues to formulate public policy! -he &udiciary has
al#ays been conscious of the importance of preserving its
independence! 8ince Merdeka% #e have had a public sector that
delivers #hile the private sector has also contributed to gro#th and
development!
-his brings us to a fourth achievement! In )*5, more than 509 of
the population lived belo# the poverty line1 today% about 5!,9 are
classified as absolutely poor! (bout *,9 of the entire citi.enry have
access to primary health care facilities #hile *:9 are literate! "asic
amenities such as piped #ater and electricity are available to #ell
over *09 of the population! 'e# other independent states in the
7lobal 8outh can match Malaysia's stupendous performance in the
economic and social spheres!
If economic and social progress has given meaning to Merdeka% so
has Malaysia's foreign policy! 8ince )*,0 it has pursued an
independent foreign policy #hich has attempted to ensure that
Malaysia's #ellbeing is not mortgaged to some big po#er or other!
It is significant that even after the ascendancy of a single global
superpo#er in the early nineties% the nation has sought to preserve
a measure of independence and sovereignty in an environment in
#hich most states have chosen to submit totally to the dictates of
that superpo#er!
-he achievements of the Malaysian nation over the last 50 years
taken as a #hole are due primarily to the core #ithin the national
leadership! In spite of all its shortcomings% the core has
demonstrated a sense of responsibility and has been balanced and
pragmatic in its approach to nationbuilding! 6ragmatism and good
sense% coupled #ith a commitment to the 3middle path4% are also
some of the attributes of the Malaysian people #hich have served us
#ell all these decades!
(nd #hat of the future? If interethnic peace is one of our
achievements% the most formidable challenge that a#aits us is
forging a durable interethnic unity! ;nly #hen the love for unity is
deeply rooted in our hearts #ill the future of this country be secure!
'or this to happen% all Malaysians of #hatever ethnic background
should feel that the nation is capable of delivering &ustice to all its
citi.ens! -o achieve &ustice% #e should not only adhere to the
principles of the Malaysian /onstitution but also shape our future
guided by our national charter% the <ukunegara% and our national
vision% Wa#asan =0=0!
If unity through &ustice is our goal% #e cannot allo# ourselves to be
sidetracked by narro#% e$clusive notions of state that #ill only
reinforce the religious divide in our society! Indeed% given the
increasing significance of religion in Malaysian society% it is
important that the practitioners of the different religions adopt a
universal% inclusive approach to their respective faiths that
recogni.es and respects the humanity in each and every one of us!
;nly such an approach #ill ensure our survival and stability as a
nation!
;ur stability in the future #ill also depend upon our readiness to
strengthen accountability and transparency in both the public and
private sectors! (t the same time% the scope for popular
participation in the decisionmaking process should be e$panded!
-he ruling elite should have no 2ualms about recogni.ing the #orth
and value of political dissent! When accountability% participation and
dissent become the hallmark of Malaysian society% one can be
certain that the practice of democracy #ill be firmly anchored in the
nation4s soil!
What this also means is that in the coming years the Malaysian
public #ill become increasingly vocal in demanding that the state
proves its commitment to accountability by intensifying efforts to
eradicate corruption! >ven as it is% a significant segment of
Malaysian society perceives corruption as a ma&or social scourge!
-here is a gro#ing reali.ation that unless corruption is eliminated%
or at least reduced drastically% good governance #ill not be
possible!
-here is another challenge that the nation #ill have to address as a
matter of urgency! 8ocioeconomic disparities among all
communities have #idened since the midnineties! -his is one of the
conse2uences of our eager embrace of corporate% casino%
consumerist (:/) capitalism! -o reverse this trend in the economy%
policies that bring direct benefits to the ma&ority should be
emphasi.ed! -he public good rather than private gain should be the
guiding principle! -his shift in policy formulation and planning
should be accompanied by attitudinal changes that seek to narro#
the psychological gap bet#een different strata in #hat has become
a highly status conscious% titleoriented society!
;ur fifth and final challenge pertains to foreign policy! In the coming
decades% #ith all the momentous changes taking place in the global
economy and in global politics% the influence and authority of the
#orld4s sole superpo#er is e$pected to decline considerably! (s the
#orld moves into another phase that may #itness the rise of ne#
centers of po#er% nations like ours should try to influence the shape
of things to come by playing a more proactive role in regional and
international affairs! "y leveraging upon our independent foreign
policy% #e could become one of the voices of conscience on the
#orld stage urging militarily strong states to abandon their po#er
centered politics% #hich has brought humanity to the brink of
annihilation% and to pursue instead politics based upon principles
principles #hich are vital for the very survival of the human species
and our planet!
Will #e be able to meet these challenges of the future? We #ill have
to go beyond the pragmatic interethnic compromises of the past
and the present and develop a more profound commitment as a
people to values such as &ustice and integrity! 'or instance% to
achieve genuine unity among the various communities% Malaysians
can no longer adopt a communal approach to &ustice that is bereft
of any empathy for the fears and aspirations of the other! ?ustice
has to be vie#ed from a more universal% holistic and allembracing
perspective! Its cornerstone should be compassion for all%
regardless of ethnic origin or religious affiliation! 8imilarly% it is only
#hen leaders possess integrity of the highest order that they #ill be
prepared to combat the corrupt% even if the latter are crucial for the
political success of the former!
-his is #hy it is vital that &ustice% integrity and other such noble
values become 3habits of the heart4 of both our leaders and our
people! It is only #hen these values become as natural to us as the
air #e breathe that the future of this glorious nation that celebrates
50 years of Merdeka on (ugust :)% =00, #ill be assured forever!