I AM impressed by the young people in Sabah. Having spoken to some of my Sabahan acquaintances, many have taken a moderate stance. Despite the political fatigue and prevailing turmoil, they are well aware and concerned about the state’s development.

“To be honest, Sabahans are disappointed. Sabah today is heading nowhere, regardless of who emerged as the winner in Sabah. What we want is development and what is deservedly ours, not only 20%. What has been taken by Peninsular Malaysia should be given back to us.”

This sounds so surreal. 

In the past few weeks, water supply disruption issues in the Klang Valley have sparked comparisons in the form of political satire between West and East Malaysia, with jokes going viral on social media.

“Orang Selangor nak air tak? Kami dkt Sarawak nak jual 1 litre RM4 postage free seluruh Malaysia kecuali Semenanjung Malaysia.”

When it rains, it pours. A sluggish economy and the impacts of the Covid-19 pandemic prevail until today. Yet, the people’s unity, especially between the rakyat in the peninsula and East Malaysia, has always been used as a political yardstick. Even the prime minister’s announcement on the establishment of a new Malaysia Agreement 1963 council is seen as a carrot-and-stick approach to the Sabah people.

What is genuinely needed by Malaysia is cultivation of unity from the grassroots level. The people’s representatives ought to listen to voices on the ground. There is a need for the government to use effective communication strategies to disseminate information and instil good values among the people and spur zest for unity. The mixed demography and multiracial background of the nation provides fertile breeding grounds for bigots to spew racist messages, and social media has become a cesspit filled with racially fuelled information that disintegrates the nation’s unity.

With regard to this, there is a need to scrutinise preferential policies. The fragmented understanding between West and East Malaysia can be bridged if preferential policies highlight holistic cultural and social comprehension rather than differences in ethnicity and religion. Affirmative action in education – in the form of preferential admissions, scholarships and exclusive Bumiputera programmes and institutions – has played a vital role in expanding access at the post-secondary and tertiary levels to Malays and other Bumiputera groups. Hence, rather than magnifying racial composition, the mixed demography of people can be boosted under such policies. Making curricular and co-curricular exchange programmes compulsory early in school will help reduce the gap among our children from West and East Malaysia.

I believe many young people out there get their first experience of East Malaysia during their tertiary education, and the same goes to the young in East Malaysia. Why don’t we initiate early exposure and cultivate a sense of belonging as Malaysians? On top of that, in-depth evaluations need to be conducted among civil servants and educators from West Malaysia who are posted in East Malaysia and vice versa. Longitudinal research should be carried out to understand what the real circumstances are. They play a role as ambassadors to connect the two pieces of land in our country. Their experience is valuable to be heard.

Education is key. Children are a plain, white cloth. They are what we want them to be. The significance of Malaysia Day should be instilled deeply, and they should be told about how this piece of land was taken back from colonial powers through sweat, blood and devastation. 

A 2016 Merdeka Centre survey found that more than 75% of Malaysian have little knowldege or know nothing about the Malaysia Agreement 1963. This result is disheartening as it shows a gap among Malaysians as a whole. Looking at the spirit of Australia in making the Australian and New Zealand Army Corps (AnZac Day) a tool of unity in the education system in early childhood should be a benchmark for our country. This should be incorporated in the education system from as early as primary school so that children are well aware of the nation’s history.

Our country has just celebrated its National Day and Malaysia Day. The past two years has seen a shift in the political environment that allows for more open discussion of issues and criticism in society. Many Malaysians had great hopes and expectations after GE14 and, having taken a leap of faith in the new government, believed it would perform differently and do things better. Therefore, political developments in the country should unite the people, not polarise them based on power, race and religion. – October 5, 2020.

* Iris Ng Pei Yi reads The Malaysian Insight.

* 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.