22nd October 2025
THE VOICE OF PATRIOT - 22nd Oct 2025
RACE AND RELIGIOUS BASE POLITICAL PARTIES ARE ANATHEMA TO NATIONAL UNITY IN A MULTI-RACIAL AND MULTI-RELIGIOUS SOCIETY
There was a time when the country was relatively peaceful and the people were united, despite the racial and religious diversity that existed among the populace. For those who lived through the period prior to independence, they are now in their seventies and eighties. These are the generations of people who had savored a true sense of peace and harmony that prevailed in the society at the time, devoid of the vulgarities of politics, race and religious bigotry, corruption and abuse.
Some may argue that there was no social media then to expose the rot. But such doubters need to be told that word-of-mouth and coffee shop chats in those days did exactly what social media does today. And at least then, there was accountability and reliability minus the fake news syndromes of today. Comparatively, the situation in the country today has changed dramatically, and sadly for the worse.
The pre-independence generation that is slowly dwindling in numbers is now witnessing the emergence of a new generation where materialism, the crave for personal wealth, abuse, corruption and arrogance that seem to characterized this new generation. Cases of corruption are being reported in the media daily, and the sum run into the millions of ringgit.
And on that score, allow me to be blunt here in that corruption and abuse seems to run deep in the veins of Malay leaders - be they politicians, corporate leaders and even civil servants. I am not discounting that no non-Malay is tainted as well.
Today we bear witness to a number of top Malay politicians and corporate leaders being dragged to court over corruption charges. One in particular is serving jail term with several more charges in the offing.
Sadly, this new generation of corrupt personalities which includes politicians and civil servants from various ministries and departments who are entrusted with the responsibility to serve the nation and its people first are tempted by greed to enrich themselves and their families.
Patriotism has become grossly misunderstood if not desecrated and today it simply mean the freedom to fulfill the desires that one aspires to achieve at all costs, devoid of sense of shame or regard for others.
The trophy of course goes to politicians who never fail time and again to exploit racial and religious issues in order to buttress their positions within the party hierarchy and/or to solicit votes during a general election where cash handout to entice voters become the norm.
Positions within the party is usually accompanied by lucrative benefits and an honorific to grace before one’s name. It is also a known fact that States that award such honorifics are now saddled with criminal cases and misconduct among some honorific recipients. Indeed if this is not a serious cause for embarrassment to the state, and in particular to the state Ruler who awards the honorific, what else could it be?
Positions within a party is not limited by time. Tun Mahathir’s tenure as UMNO President was for more than two decades. The long-term tenure of Tun Mahathir as UMNO President clearly has had both positive and negative impacts for the country. Hence, the advantages and disadvantages of a limitless tenure of the UMNO presidency are debatable. And it also applies to other political parties as well.
Some have argued that by not limiting the tenure of the party President, the party President may be guilty to be tempted to abuse. On the contrary can we have that by limiting the tenure of a Party President, we will be free of abuse, should his/her party win the General Elections?
The country has had three Prime Ministers in a period of less than four years following the 2018 General Elections. The question that needs to be asked is whether the period following the 2018 General Elections and the changing of three Prime Ministers has prospered the nation?
The race-based political party of UMNO today is unlike when it was first established in 1946. UMNO has become a race and religious centric political party whose political objectives are centered on safeguarding Malay interests and promoting Islam. The same could also be said of the other race-based political parties.
Statement by some of its leaders smack of intolerance towards others and are a cause of deep concern for the peace and harmony of a multi-racial and multi-religious country like Malaysia. They deem others as a threat to their political survival.
However, ordinary Malaysians who are not inclined towards politics are conscious that racial unity is paramount to the peace and security of the country. Hence, they distance themselves from politics.
Likewise, PAS a theocratic political party that was founded in 1951, during its formative years, did not raise the specter of racial and religious intolerance towards people of other faiths and races. But is today’s PAS the same? Islam preaches to its adherents to uphold peace and tolerance toward minorities, regardless of race and faith.
The leaders of PAS today see themselves as the rightful preachers worthy to be heard and recognised as promoting Islam. Others, who are not members of the party and even those of their own race and faith are sometimes looked upon with disdain and suspicion.
Said or otherwise, the glaring fact is the country today is seriously lacking in quality leaders with the ability to galvanize the population to be patriotic citizens. The country certainly does not lack intellectuals and learned individuals who could provide leadership, but they shy away from politics for reasons best known to themselves or at best have surrendered to the patronising cultures breeding in political circles.
It is now the time for our politicians to take a look at themselves as patriots first i.e. with unbridled love for the country and the people, they vowed to serve. It is they who will shape the destiny of the country.
All else come secondary. For as long as our political landscape remains tainted with corruption, compromises, absence of universal values and crafty abuses, truly Malaysia only can inherit a darker, murkier future.
BG Dato Mohd Arshad Raji (Retired)
Date: 22 October 2025
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