AS the euphoria of a new Malaysia gradually lifts, we are slowly greeted by the reality that change doesn’t come easy.

The utter destruction of the Barisan Nasional regime came after many decades of thankless battle against the wiles of the previous government. For their efforts, most of the unseen heroes have been punished, some have been imprisoned, and all have been mocked.

If it had taken decades of tireless activism to bring down a self-serving, destructive and corrupt government, it is only to be expected that a change in the culture and mindset of the old Malaysia will not come easily.

Symptoms of the “old order” are a culture of corruption – or at least, a tolerance for corruption – and perhaps, the most toxic of all, the use of race and religion to divide us.

Barely weeks after a coalition of multiracial parties was sworn in as the new government, traces of the racially divisive Malaysia that has come to be synonymous with the old government reared its ugly head.

A debacle was sparked by a group, claiming to champion the rights of the downtrodden Indian community, which demanded that Universiti Teknologi Mara (UiTM) – long known for being exclusive to Bumiputera students – now be open to Malaysians of other races.

Various parties have since honed in on the argument, with UiTM’s alumni association being the strongest opponent.

To date, an online petition started by the alumni has gained more than 155,000 respondents.

The dust has barely settled on the UiTM furore, and Malaysians are now confronted with the impasse over the appointment of Tommy Thomas, a highly respected lawyer with decades of experience, as the new attorney-general.

Due to the fact that he is neither Muslim nor Malay, the King and other Malay rulers have held back from giving their approval to Thomas’ appointment.

If these two incidents don’t shock or sadden you as a Malaysian, it is because we have grown too used to the “old habits” of a Malaysia abused by reckless and corrupt leaders.

UiTM started out as a training institute for rural Malays 62 years ago, and over the years, has evolved and developed into a full-fledged university. Why, then, do more than 155,000 Malaysians now find it impossible to accept its evolution into an institution of higher learning for the development of all Malaysians?

Likewise in Thomas’ case, the role of the attorney-general is to be the principal legal adviser to the government and royalty, and to be responsible for the administration of justice. Why can’t Thomas’ detractors judge him based on his experience and capabilities to do so, without the filter of his race or religion?

The simple answer is that many are still stuck with the habits of the old Malaysia… the one where political decisions, civil service appointments, corporate hiring and university quotas were made around the idea of Malays versus non-Malays, Muslims versus the rest.

This parochial bias is what had stunted our nation’s ability to bring out the best, reward the most deserving and develop the most capable.

It had also allowed unfettered religiosity to seriously damage the fabric of peaceful coexistence and trust that our people once enjoyed.

Before May 9, rumours were rife that the country would be thrown into chaos and violence if a change as drastic as a new government actually took place.

But the doubters were proven wrong.

Likewise, we must be willing to believe that challenging the harmful racist habits of the past will not result in the downfall of any one race, but will lead, instead, to the joint progress of all races.

A new Malaysia is so much more than a new government.

A new Malaysia must mean that the administration of justice, the disbursement of aid for the needy, and the opportunity for access to education, health and happiness must be available to all Malaysians, regardless of race or religion.

For this new order to become a reality, Malaysians must dare to believe in it. And for our part, we must be prepared to make a stand against the old order, and support one in which all Malaysians have equal significance. – June 4, 2018.

* Julia Yeow has been in journalism for two decades and counts it as her first love, despite enjoying brief stints as a lecturer, clown and salad maker. She is a strong believer in social justice, and holds that there is sometimes more truth in the greys, than the blacks and whites.