THE 46th presidential election of the United States has just concluded. After five tense days watched by people worldwide, the Biden-Harris Democratic ticket was declared winner.

While more than half of the American voting populace had cause for celebration, we can draw numerous lessons from the election. From a personal perspective, the following are some of the more important.

President-elect Joe Biden’s acceptance speech calling for unity, closing ranks and reconciliation after months of hurtful, bitter and divisive campaigning was magnanimous. His message of unity is sincere and inspiring, and shows maturity in the political system and the players in it. 

In contrast, in our country, election winners usually treat the losers as perpetual enemies. Playing up racial issues has been effectively used to secure vote banks.

Racism is also a sickness in the US. At least, the in-coming Biden-Harris administration is seen to give priority to heal this sickness. Whereas here, racism is not only unacknowledged as a sickness, it is a convenience to be exploited to stay in power.

Racial and religious issues have been weaponised to cut so deep that the resulting wounds do not heal. Words of hatred froth at the mouths of politicians long after an election campaign.

Our government must take a retrospective look at how it has used the Special Affairs Department (Jasa) as a propaganda arm and the hordes of cybertroopers that caused distrust and spewed hatred among the people.

Another case in point is our Budget 2021 allocation under the strategy of prioritising the inclusiveness agenda and the Shared Prosperity Vision 2030 (SPV2030). A total of RM11.1 billion has been allocated for Bumiputera development, while for the Chinese community, it’s RM177 million, Indian community (RM120 million) and Orang Asli (RM158 million).

Such vast disparity in allocation, a similarity in the national budget year after year, cannot be perceived as inclusive for all but rather, as prioritising only one ethnic group.

On the SPV2030, Prime Minister Muhyiddin Yassin had mentioned on September 30 that no one would be left behind. His words, “Prosperity is colour blind. It must not discriminate against anyone”, sounded hollow.

Tears must have flowed among millions when witnessing vice-president-elect Kamala Harris, the descendant of an immigrant and of Jamaican-Indian parentage, making her acceptance speech that also called for national unity.

Like former president Barack Obama, Harris’ election to high office has evoked dreams that nothing is impossible if one works hard in a land of vast opportunities.

In our case, we, too, have vast opportunities, but it is unthinkable for anything like that to happen. Moreover, there have been demands from individuals that non-Bumiputera be barred from holding key positions in government.

Biden’s election to the presidency has been called by the media, in particular by CNN and other television news networks. The role of the election commission seems only to have to confirm it later.

Such an irony reflects the high esteem of the media, also known as the Fourth Estate, and the influence it wields in society. For that to happen, freedom of speech and the media has to be observed and respected, and integrity among players in the industry is of utmost importance.

It is noteworthy to observe that news presenters had called President Donald Trump a liar far too often. This is not to suggest we should also do it here.

Media freedom for a good cause, an important tenet of democracy, complements the institutions of democracy. Institutions of government have a duty to protect that freedom and not allow the executive to trample on it.  

Countries all over the world, including our own, are now facing the dual problems of the coronavirus pandemic and economic downturn inflicting hardship. A vaccine for the infection is not a certain permanent salvation.

Nor is it a certainty that the economy will recover by next year, as widely opined. Even with an expansionary budget and debt spending to cushion the hard landing, the hardship is likely to linger for years.

A plausible solution is for all Malaysian to be united to face the hardship. Healing of old wounds has to start. 

Healing starts with a mental revolution among our politicians. Political opponents are merely that, and should not be treated as enemies.

Winners of elections and the parties in power must not lose sight of those in the opposing side and their supporters. The new executive governs for the whole nation – both the winners and the losers.

Not only do we have to put a stop to the systemic racism that has been endemic in our politics for more than half a century, we have to root it out entirely. 

As for the US and its new leadership, we hope a new chapter begins that respects multilateralism in world governance, respects the spirit of peaceful coexistence among nations and seriously cooperates with other nations for universal prosperity and progress. – November 12, 2020.

* Captain Dr Wong Ang Peng is a researcher with an interest in economics, politics, and health issues. He has a burning desire to do anything within his means to promote national harmony. Captain Wong is also a member of the National Patriots Association.