MY PhD thesis at George Washington University (GWU) was entitled Dignity in the workplace: An Exploration of Worker Experiences in One Organisation. I have, since graduating, always sought to migrate the same framework of thinking and reasoning towards our Malaysian perspective and views about the same private and public spaces of life.

My conclusion is that we need a real resolution of our definition of what is “secular,” and what is “sacred”. Too often, confused and convoluted definitions by scholars ignore what our original leaders and judges have defined.

I call that confusion, poor theology and bad logic, simply a result of a bad education system.

All such definitions usually lack a kind of a black-white definitional reality, arising from a limited educational experience and qualified by ignorance.

Therefore, some years ago, I developed schema of a similar set of ideas, and Professor SH Nasr, a professor of Islam, delivered them for me. They are recorded below and can be viewed at [email protected]:

My pet theory is that socio-spatial-personal sense of identity politics is found in real-time terms in all geographies, or communities. That unique, but modern, 5 primal senses of identity can create a personal but real identity crisis, if not well framed.

The truth of the matter is that we all possess all of them from God.

For communication purposes, I identify these 5 onion layers as our personal senses of space and meaning. In terms of self-respect or identity, once can reframe one’s specific birth ethnicity and limits as a global citizen of post-wars and a civilised world.

If we cannot recognise such a basic human right of personal identity and global citizenship, we would fail as human beings too.

No single nation-state can individually separate such a geopolitical and social identity without the UN Human Rights Declaration. No one can simply “clean up or rewrite history”, in the name of one religion or ethnicity; whether Hitler, or Israel, or even North Korea.

Therefore, permit me to define these five arenas of universally agreed global human consensus. These were consequential to two world wars and dictated by the United Nations with global standards of rights and wrongs.

Our 5 onion layers of identity are:

– Nation-state issued travel documents with internationally accepted standards with a declared identity;

– Birth ethnicity defined by mother tongues of speech and qualified tastes;

– Religious heritage premised upon belief systems or worldviews of assumptions;

– Uniquely defined personality profile, almost impossible to alter; and,

– Universal definition of our common humanity as a race with a clear human conscience.

Therefore, my question to all Malaysians is: What is our human and rational grounds for ignoring human rights problems with our neighbours, on any selective basis about these 5 layers of identity?

Bangsa Malaysia identity of 2020

It is time for a serious re-evaluation of the Vision 2020 measures and goals, and for Bangsa Malaysia to be a Malaysia 2.0 identity. My interpretation is that the identical “semangat Bangsa Malaysia” when Vision 2020 was first announced, was felt and experienced by the significant majority who voted for change of the federal government vide the GE 14.

Nonetheless, there are genuine elements of fear, uncertainty, and insecurity being expressed and spoken behind those unstated walls of fear! We saw it again in Cameron Highlands!

The last time we faced such a worldview of fear and uncertainties was after May 13, 1969. Then, the nation came together under then First National Consultative Council and framed what is called the RUKUNEGARA.

It is therefore now time to include the preamble of that Rukunegara as a preamble of the federal constitution. It states:

Whereas our country, Malaysia nurtures the ambitions of:

– Achieving a more perfect unity amongst the whole of her society;

– Preserving a democratic way of life;

– Creating a just society where the prosperity of the country can be enjoyed together in a fair and equitable manner;

– Guaranteeing a liberal approach towards her rich and varied cultural traditions; and

– Building a progressive society that will make use of science and modern technology. – February 17, 2019.

* KJ John worked in public service for 32 years, retired, and started a civil group for which he is chairman of the board. He writes to inform and educate, arguing for integration with integrity in Malaysia. He believes such a transformation has to start with the mind before it sinks into the heart!

* This is the opinion of the writer or publication and does not necessarily represent the views of The Malaysian Insight. Article may be edited for brevity and clarity.