Commentary by Mustafa K. Anuar

AMANAH strategy director Dzulkefly Ahmad’s plan to step aside from active politics is a breath of fresh air, especially in Malaysia’s political environment where most senior leaders tend to cling to power beyond their shelf life.

The former health minister recently revealed his thought-out desire to drop out of competitive politics in order to pave the way for young blood to make their presence felt in the body politic. He appears to know when to stop.

His move is politically significant in that he walked the talk while some others in Malaysia’s political arena have so far only given an indirect nod to the need for young leaders to be at the helm – while still maintaining their own political positions.

Having said that, we still hope his action would eventually spur others to follow suit for the greater good of our society.

On top of that, the two-term lawmaker plans to help groom young leaders who would subsequently take over the reins of the party and, presumably, help craft new policies that would cater to the needs of the times.

The young leaders are expected to be more responsive to new challenges that Malaysia in particular and the world generally are facing, such as climate change arising from rampant deforestation and environmental neglect, food insecurity and mounting national debts, as well as older issues such as corruption, high costs of living, unemployment and health issues.

It is hoped that such grooming would help ensure a much-needed rejuvenation of political parties, especially the ones that have all along been led by senior politicians with their respective baggage.

Being in active politics, particularly in a position of power, that overstay one’s welcome runs the risk of picking up bad habits, such as corruption, greed and nepotism, along the way. Of course, it is hoped that these bad habits would not easily descend on the young leaders. 

As Dzulkefly rightly pointed out, young leaders should move away from toxic politics that have affected many senior leaders over the years.

We assume that he was also referring to, among others, the divisive politics of race and religion that obviously has strained ethnic relations over the years, which, in turn, has serious implications on the nation-building process as a whole.

The Kuala Selangor MP’s move is also crucial at a time when the next general election are just around the corner, and when opposition parties such as Amanah would need fresh ideas about the country’s future, national development and intra-ethnic economic disparity.

Although Amanah is relatively a small party, nonetheless, it is hoped that it would be able to make itself as well as its allies in Pakatan Harapan distinct from the rest in the country’s political landscape in terms of ideology and policy. This is to ensure that the choice made by voters would be politically meaningful.

To be sure, young blood in Malaysian politics refers here to both men and women leaders who can make a difference in our society.

This emphasis is vital as it appears that there are still misogynists lurking in our midst who contend that women, unlike men, do not have the potential to be effective leaders and, thus, cannot play an important role to bring the country to a higher level.

Given the contemporary socio-political context, Dzulkefly is cut out for this important job. – June 2, 2022.