MALAYSIA is at a crossroads like never before; maybe for the first time in its history.

May 13, 1969, was the first such real challenge but that was 50 years ago, and we meandered through it, by God’s grace.

Now, after more than 60 years, with one power system in control for all that time, we have achieved our magnum opus; a peaceful transition without a revolution.

However, the real question is: are we a real and sure democratic country, yet?

What does my question mean? Did not more than 50% of the rakyat vote for a change of federal government?

Did we not follow the Westminster system of parliamentary governance?

We claim to practice the one person, one vote principle under our election rules; regardless of which particular system we use.

Does every voter, therefore, receive his value and weight through his one vote? I am sure not.

However, I am certain we can do better. After all the fourth prime minister advocated that we will become a developed nation by 2020.

He is now seventh prime minister. Has he lost his will to lead?

Can we benchmark our multi-ethnic identity with those of the best out there; for example, New Zealand or Canada?

Is it not where we are today? Malaysia 2.0 has a new prime minister but one who is not really new.

The rest of cabinet are mostly new and equally inexperienced. Am I wrong?

What is Maruah Malaysia 2.0?

Recently, the Maruah Melayu question raised more issues and concerns than the organisers had thought.

I think there have been some excellent write-ups and responses by many who were challenged to speak up: Lim Teck Ghee, Gurdial Singh and Kamal Salih, or even the blog posts by Syed Outside the Box. All four are credible citizens of Malaysia.

Therefore, my question to all Malaysians is also: If we are Bangsa Malaysia of 2020, how do we demonstrate that we can do it other than the Hong Kong Way?

How do we show the world we can transition without violence and abuse of every national institution, royalty, race, or religion? We can surely become a Bangsa Malaysia, right?

Therefore, maybe, if we give the benefit of the doubt to the four public universities that they were only raising our conscientious about poor Malaysians, especially Peninsular Malays, then maybe we are really Bangsa Malaysia 2.0?

However, why then did Syed Akhbar Ali document all those billions lost by Malays and Malay institutions over the last 40 years?

My closing argument

The argument I developed in my doctoral studies was basically that the organisation exists over and above beyond merely the human being. 

Human beings do have and hold all human rights; defined political rights promised under the UN’s Universal Declaration of Human Rights.

Therefore, in any system or organisation, the human workers have rights, but so does the organization.

It exists as a legal authority and personality. Both can sue and be sued.

Consequently, the student who protested at the convocation has equal rights of vocalising his personal views, and so the university has in arguing for the poor and deprived Malays; best case scenario.

However, these are not only the ones in university, but really the less than educated ones in society who are feeling marginalised for one reason of another. What really are the Hong Kong issues?

Obviously, it is about wealth distribution in the streets of Hong Kong and a lack of clear will for good self-governance.

It is a clear protest against authoritarianism, regardless of the colour or shape it takes.

Those in power abuse the apparatus only to deny the dignity of young people in their aspirations for Hong Kong people, no?

In Malaysia, we have a similar set of issues within an older mind-set problem we call feudalism.

The feudalists kiss the hands of kings and give them God-like status in society and then we consider roadside leaders by popularity rather than truth, righteousness, or integrity. – October 20, 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.