THE pioneer leaders responsible for the formation of Malaysia must have had a nicely thought out and noble vision of unity, shared universal values and deep mutual respect between the people of the various component parts of the new nation.
They had inherited a number of multiethnic British administered divide-and-rule entities located in the heart of Southeast Asia. Britain, until WW2 the world’s greatest seafaring power viewed the whole region as of great strategic, commercial and navigational importance.
They question or mock a Malaysia- First identity as if it is defect. They seem to forget that that is the fundamental basis of the modern nation-state. These dramatic developments inevitably draw comparisons with the situation in resource-rich Sabah and Sarawak that have dispersed settlements with relatively poor access, transport and communications facilities.Love, loyalty and the lofty ideals of a sense of nationhood can be attained by realising a shared sense of equality, equity, equal treatment and mutual respect. Much work, it would seem, remains to be done to attain that shared sense of well-being and belonging.
Further, in the pursuit of a rather narrow religious agenda there has been a resort by some politicians to hate and heretical speech based on a nonexistent hierarchy of different religions.Yet Malaysians have to be in awe of the sane way in which the leaders of Sabah and Sarawak have meaningfully managed their diverse communities.
They have fostered a rather unique blend of identity of family, belonging, inclusiveness and participation. They have created an oasis of harmony, peace, mutual trust and law and order that is reminiscent of the old Malaya. Today there is an urgent need for Putrajaya to smoothen and strengthen cooperation with both Sabah and Sarawak so that the relationship acquires a more equal, equable,harmonious, honest and stable character.A modicum of some equilibrium can then be attained.
The remains of the old, whole uncut diamond that was the Borneo region is still an impeccable and integral part that gives Malaysia prestige, considerable weightage and integrity. It has grown economically, is well industrialised and nearly 85 percent of its population live in urban areas which have excellent infrastructure, modern amenities, connectivity, good health and leisure facilities and well funded school facilities. But is the education that is being provided of a world class standard?
Then there are the problems of endemic corruption, especially elite corruption, the corrosion of age-old core Malaysian values of simple living and good neighbourliness. Bizarre traffic congestion in certain parts of our urban areas is a growing challenge. There have to be incentives for people of different ethnicities to live in common areas and attend the same schools, play the same kind of sports and participate in cultural activities and different hobbies.
More important than all these issues is the need to build bridges and better connectivity and consensus with Sabah and Sarawak.
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