THE politics of dignity means sticking to principles in the face of adversity.

Politics is not about appeasing the majoritarian community at the expense of other communities in Malaysia.

It is also about not shirking the responsibility towards all Malaysians whether they are majority or not.

I understand that the politics of Pakatan Harapan (PH), the alternative coalition in Malaysia, is essentially about the fight for human dignity.

It is not about appeasing the sectarian racial and religious interests of the Malay majoritarian community.

In this respect, PH’s defeat in the recent Malacca state elections is testimony to its uncompromising principles on certain fundamental issues.

If racial and religious interests are in the forefront of politics, it is certainly not the fault of PH.

There is no necessity for PH nor it’s component parties to pander or to appease the indignity of majoritarian impulses.

Essentially, politics in Malaysia over the decades is about the opposing pull of both the centripetal and centrifugal forces.

PH wants to build a nation on the basis of diversity whereas the racial and religious parties want to create and perpetuate the differences between the races for narrow political interests.

It is not that there is an overwhelming altruistic concern to maintain the sanctity of the racial hegemonic argument, but it is grounded in the everyday reality of economic accumulation.

This would explain the ferocity of the racial argument, ostensibly to protect and advance Malay interests.

Since accumulation is a never-ending process, there is a constant need to invent and reinvent the racial and religious thesis.

Unfortunately, the large majority of Malays are not the recipient of the benefits of accumulation, but those who administer the country politically and administratively.

There are prophets of doom saying that the recent Malacca elections is the bellwether of things to come.

PH has finally met its fate at the Malacca Waterloo.

The prophets of doom are expected to say this and more.

No surprise at all.

What is unfortunate is that the so-called progressives have come to the fore, saying that PH lost because of the uncompromising attitude of the DAP.

In other words, PKR and Amanah were the victims of anti-DAP bashing.

One writer went to the extent of urging PH to take cognisance of the feelings of Malays to avoid another Malacca Waterloo.

Similarly, there was a recent attempt to say that PH as a whole must take into account the demographics of the country to pay more attention to the interests and concerns of the majoritarian community.

It was said that liberalism is fine but not appeasement of the majority community.

Essentially, like the earlier argument, the fault is not in the stars but PH. Particularly the Chinse-majority DAP.

If PH has friends like the above, it certainly needs no enemies.

I don’t think that PH as whole has to engage in liberalism, or appeasement nor even conservatism to remain relevant in Malaysian politics.

PH need not be overly bothered by the hyped-up majoritarian interests or concerns since these are not reflective of the majority of Malays.

There is a need to distinguish between the interests of the racist Malay elite and the ordinary Malays.

It is wrong for analysts to be phenomenological about Malay interests, but, in actual fact, such interests are of those in power.

There is no need for a rigorous class analysis to decipher how the interests of the Malays are not homogeneous.

PH must survive and go on for better things in the service of Malaysians irrespective of race or religion.

All citizens whether Malay, Chinese or Indian are equal before the law.

No political system worthy of name would want to divide the population into social segments to administer the country.

The longevity of institutional racism is not a justification.

Instructional racism in the form of special rights and economic and social entitlements are not something that could be justified in terms of human rights or equality.

The PH coalition has its share of problems.

Too much emphasis on the need to win elections has come at the expense of its broader vision for Malaysia.

This is also the reason I suspect that some form of appeasement could have taken place.

As long as the racial and religious ideology has a strong and crippling hold on the general Malay population, overtures in the form of liberalism or appeasement might just not work.

On the contrary, it might lead to the fudging of differences between the ruling and opposition bloc.

The recent Malacca election, whether it is going to be the bellwether of things to come, or it is just another by-election without much implication, is not important.

Let us not read too much into these elections to write off the opposition or PH.

What is important is for PH is to get itself anchored ideologically and pragmatically.

The coalition must lay out a plan of action in the coming days, months, or even years, as to the kind of alternative government that it might propose for Malaysians, paying careful attention to the interests and fears of all the racial and religious communities in Malaysia.

PH must go beyond the mundane and ordinary to envision the future of Malaysia, based on equal rights for all its citizens irrespective of race or religion.

In short, PH must articulate to embrace the future to provide hope and dignity to all Malaysians.

*P. Ramasamy is Penang deputy chief minister.

* 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.