ALL religious leaders or elders are respected in all faith communities.  But the more pertinent question is, do they not cheat, steal, or lie, or do they not descend into the dark side of life, too? 

If one is committed within any religious hierarchy, one may consider this proposal sacrilegious.

How can a local priest, or ustaz, or teacher of faith commit harm? Why or why not?  It is becoming obvious within all religious systems, over time, that all hierarchies develop clever systems of hiding truths from within the same hierarchy.

Abject nature of sin

The Christian faith, based on personal knowledge and awareness of scriptures, defines that man, by nature, is so badly messed up that no amount of personal efforts to seek forgiveness is good enough to wipe out these blacks spots in one’s life.

They argue that only the “promised one” from God can take that presence of sin away and thereby one can find forgiveness in one’s life. The blot or spot of black is simply wiped away by the blood shed on the Cross. Everything is new and different after that.

If the above nature of sin and implications of her effects are true, then one can generalise that all second-order organisations, i.e. those created by such fallen human beings are equally affected by the second order nature of that sin.

Therefore, we can say that all human organisations framed and formed by humans are equally flawed.  Thereby, whether church or temple, or mosque, as congregations of faith all are equally flawed and risk this danger of “closing one eye to wrong-doing”.

60 years of cheating, stealing and lying

Malaysia made a miraculous transition more than 120 days ago rejecting a corrupt regime, after six decades of abuse. To me, this is a second institutional miracle of Malaysia. 

The first I call the GEM or growth with equity model of development (or the NEP) which we deployed since 1970.

Therefore and thereby, Malaysia maybe the only country in the modern world which has systemically transitioned an identified group of beneficiaries from an agricultural economy towards an internet-based economy within one generation.

The full results of that agenda, often called the NEP or New Economic Policy, have not been thoroughly evaluated but it appears like the full first miracle was well achieved. The bonus was the birth of a newer democracy in Malaysia.

Malaysia is now poised to fully realise the second institutional miracle – that of growing a fully functional family of patriotic Malaysians who love and willingly serve their country. We simply call it Malaysia 2.0. – September 9, 2018.

* 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.