When Jesus walked the earth in the days of old, once, the Jewish religious teachers and law enforcers asked him a trick question: Should we pay taxes to Caesar or God?

This was a trick question because it was a loaded question. Let us look at the context in which Jesus was supposed to answer the question. The Jews were then under the reign of the Romans.

Jewish faith was a matter of personal and family practice, since the days they left Egypt and evolved a culture as God\’s people through their many forms of cultural practice. However, there was also an evolved public theology or belief system or worldview that was commonly practiced by people of the Jewish Nation which became their systemic cultural and religious practice.

Even so, Jewish eschatology explicitly believed that there was a \”messiah\” who would be sent by God; as sort of last and final prophet of God. He would then lead the nation of Israel and set up a \”new kingdom on earth.\” So, they were desperately awaiting a political king whose reign they would come under. Therefore the question related to ‘paying taxes\’ was a question related to giving allegiance rather than a financial taxation policy issue of a modern state.

Next, paying temple taxes was mandated and very elaborate systems were put in place for the execution of these; almost all of which was under the control of the Jewish Religious leadership of the nation of Israel. Therefore, their question had some vested interest too? Can Jesus be trusted to take care of their interests and salaries, perks and privileges under the new system of Governance?

Finally their question also had a \”naughty intent.\” If Jesus did not support their hypothesis that he might be the new \”messiah,\” and he answered the question in the ‘politically incorrect way\’ and say that the Jews should not pay taxes to Caesar, then they could have Jesus arrested for \”both blasphemy to the Jewish worldview, and being a traitor to the Roman system of governance.\” That was their very dicey and tricky context of that question to Jesus.

How did Jesus reply? Actually these words of reply are the starting words of my doctoral dissertation under the first Chapter entitled, \”defining the dignity problem.\” In Matthew 22: 21, it is recorded: \”Then he said to them, ‘Give to Caesar what is Caesar\’s and to God what is God\’s.\’\”

Naughty questions

As I reflect on the Hulu Selangor ‘buy elections,\’ the equally naughty question going through my mind and heart is: Should I pay my taxes to the Barisan Government or pay it in some other way to the Selangor State Government, or simply pay it to the Church of Jesus Christ, as tithes, and as the Bride of the Bridegroom?

But, my naughty thoughts reveal more issues than they resolve. For example, the reason I ask the question in this way is because of the ‘decision-making model\’ the BN Government which \”appears to use total and absolute discretion to expend my hard earned taxes in ways that are questionable.\” How can, for instance the Prime Minister Najib Abdul Razak (right) , who is not the Minister of Felda, 

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\”simply and expediently resolve to settle RM50,000 to every settler, a problem which could not be settled in the last 15 years?\” In my mind and heart, he has no legal authority to do the same.

Even as Finance Minister, he has no authority, if due processes of the Financial Procedure Act are not followed. And, all the documentation must already be there, before he announced this!

Please juxtapose that with the \”financial management philosophy\” of the Chief Minister of Penang; whom I had a rare privilege to interview and moderate vide a dialogue at a Christian Leadership Summit during the last weekend in Penang.

He told the audience of about 400 Christian leaders that his ‘CAT Theology\’ (ala Competency, Accountability and Transparency) which had brokered and renewed their financial management model for the State Government. Both Local Authorities under his jurisdiction are currently showing revenues and profits never before shown in the last almost 53 years! Is he telling the truth? I do not know yet, but surely if this is reported and stated widely, there will be countering opinions and the truth will finally come out. Light applied to anything usually reveals darkness.

Let me end my column with my version of a public space theology of Good Governance. Any good governance model needs to first and foremost to recognize that we need an eschatology which defines both works here and then works for the hereafter. Good, true and righteous works today are just as important as \”good works done only for the hereafter.\”

For example, as Art Harun rightly asked in his column after the \”buy-erection,\” as he called it, how is it that Zaid\’s so-called ‘drinking of wine or beer, as the case maybe, was more important than the \”buy-election issues?\’\”

Same problem today

Our problem today is the exact same as those in Jesus\’ days under Roman Governance, with the sub-governance of Jewish Authorities. The Romans want blind obedience to their system of political governance and the Jewish Authorities want equally blind observance to their system of religious governance. Therefore, in Malaysia, the sins of the very corrupt and proven arrogant State Governance of old Selangor can be wiped away by new promises of good and improved governance under the \”People First Performance Now\” philosophy; which is still too many promises and not enough action.

But, even these so-called \”buy-elections\” actions of expediency may be violating the \”good faith principles of any model of good governance.\” What does it profit a man to gain the whole world and then lose his soul?

What then is it to \”do both;\” to pay Caesar and God their dues? To God we must give the things of God; like our good or bad intentions or political motives for what is due. To Caesar we must pay income taxes and all other just and right political dues, including voting, but never \”blind allegiance.\” Justice and Righteousness always belongs to only God and these are not our ideas or ideals. God is author of all. His Authority is thus supreme.

In Malaysia, the application and translation of supreme authority is called our Constitution and all related laws which make for our Rule of Law. But, our rule of law cannot be reduced to a nation ruled by laws! Justice must be seen to be blind too!

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What else does it mean when the Commissioner of the MACC Datuk Abu Kassim Mohamed (left) or, of the Anti-Corruption Commitment Alliance (my title for this agency, after some of us ‘janji pakat\’ with the man) screams foul because the AG\’s Office cannot prosecute corrupt people even when \”sufficient evidence for the prosecution was collected and the case made by none other than the MACC Officers?\” That Chief Investigator is now their Deputy.

As Jesus taught, let us learn to give to God (or Allah) what belongs to HIM and to give the Governance System what they deserve! But, for now my vote is to: \”let us vote out the corrupt system of Governance and vote for the better system of Governance.\” Can any serious takers, please stand up? May God bless poor Malaysia!