My previous column asked a rhetorical question if moderate Malay citizens of Malaysia can be both liberal and conservative. One commentator said the politics define the Malays rather than allowing the Malays to refine our politics. I agree.

Actually, we do not need to go very far to understand the full implications of my original question. We have our Federal Constitution (FC) and all related documents which record sufficiently all such history for posterity; even in spite of the very many amendments.

All three original framing parties for our governance, i.e. the Alliance and her followers, the Royalty and their heirs, and the British Colonial negotiators, need now only to honour and respect the roles and limits already predefined by that Federal Constitution. To my mind, the Conference of Rulers, who were there as moderators, now have a clearer and more mature role as mediators.

They must assume full responsibility and accountability to mediate between the Federal Constitution (FC) and all other political parties seeking to be in power. Their very existence, as an institution of the Conference of Rulers, is after all a creation of the FC.

In any democracy, it is always the people who will ultimately define what and how power can and should be distributed between the rulers and the ruled. To me at least, as a Conference, the Rulers must moderate any religious-type or ideological-type of extremism which moves us away from the moderate middle already defined by the FC.

Therefore, the 14th GE must also become a vote on the Bill, PUU 355, which is now tabled by PAS and allowed by UMNO, as a political football. We cannot simply see it as a state-level concern for its implementation in Kelantan and Terengganu.

The PUU will generalise state-level Syariah Enactments a matter of federal priority but also enables and authorises its federal enforcement. It violates the spirit of the Malaysia Agreement 1963!

Who is a democrat?

To me, any democrat is one who believes in the equality of all human beings and the power of every citizen to exercise their right to vote and change any elected government of the day. Therefore, while democrats do believe that every citizen has just one vote, the value of such a vote can and must also be moderated in some pre-agreed way, so that every citizen has an equal voice.

Being a liberal or a conservative democrat is usually a political choice and definition. Nevertheless, allow me to push our common Malaysian understanding of such perceptions by seeking to define it within our Malaysian context.

While Malaysian partisan politics and real public policy options can take shape over time, a good public policy system and any concomitant culture of governance can only be grown from ground up.

But, we need the firm foundations historically located in our Federal Constitution.

Who then is a conservative?

A conservative, to me, is anyone who wants to keep status quo in any system of governance and are not in favour of too much radical or revolutionary change with too much uncertainty. Usually these systems and implicit assumptions are related to life experiences previously accepted or recorded history.

The consequent rules for our common civil conduct must be premised upon some kind of socially agreed formal agreements or social arrangements. In Peninsular, we called it a “social contract.”

Unfortunately the Sabahans and Sarawakians were not part of that unwritten contract. To them it will always be their 18 and 20 point requests related to Malaysia 1963.

The original actors and role players (the Merdeka generation) must therefore help define real and recorded history on such matters so they we can help give complete meanings to that creation. Therefore, both, recorded history and current institutions become part and parcel of our emerging new political climate.

Nonetheless, philosophically and institutionally, these processes and institutions formally define the formation of such a new and different democratic political culture. But, those active processes must become part and process of our growth and maturity of our nation.

Liberal and conservative political culture

The ultimate choice for a real change must be executed by the Rakyat. The Merdeka Malaysians, especially, can make their wise choice for themselves and their grandchildren.

My personal hope and prayer also is that the Conference of Rulers and ordinary citizens will not bequeath their opportunity to define and qualify the quality and nature of our democracy before it is too late.

By definition of simple reason and logic, both ends of any such continuum accepts a theological starting point (as defined in the Rukunegara) in order to construct a simple point of unity in thought, or even to deploy our common shared values as a point of integration.

Our system of governance must be grown with wisdom and maturity, always learning from our mistakes of the past, and understanding the full implications of the equality guaranteed by the FC to all citizens. – November 20, 2017.

* 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.