‘Tis the season for choices. Come our 13th general election, we will each, I mean Malaysians, and I suppose the backdoor cousins, have to make our choice of who should govern us for the next five years.

Actually, we will make that choice only in a blinkered way. Why? In Malaysia we do not choose our leaders; the party does that. We only get to choose the party’s selection of a candidate who they think can serve us better.

So, what do we look for in a candidate; regardless of the party he or she represents? Is that not the fundamental basis of how we make our choices? And then, when they count up all our votes (and I hope no backdoor ones, like the Sulu cousins, do in fact vote) they will know which party won the most votes through their candidates.

Then, the coalition with the largest number of votes will be invited by the Yang di-Pertuan Agong to form the cabinet.

Both options we have today are only coalitions – and many of their member parties are race-based ones. So much for free and fair choice.

Election or selection by conclave?

Recently the Catholic Church, actually and technically, this is the Roman Catholic Church, had to select or elect their new pope.  And there are many other non-Roman ‘Catholic Churches’ as well, but they are usually called by other names like Eastern Orthodox, or Russian Orthodox, or even the Coptic Church of Egypt. They each have their own popes or archbishops.

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There is an elaborate process of selecting the next pope and most interested Malaysians have now been educated about this intricate process. The election or selection of the most papal candidate happened rather quickly and I must congratulate Pope Francis for his election or selection. Please understand that he chose the name of the patron Saint St Francis of Assisi for his official name.

Now, why am I hesitant about the use of these words; election and selection? The truth is that within Christian theology, there is the doctrine of both; selection and election. The debate and appreciation of this element of choice-making by humans is not as simple as it seems or appears.

Christians believe that all humans have in fact free choice in all matters of life. But the same Christians also believe that God is Sovereign. This means that there is no minute detail in life of the universe that God does now know about, or does not care about, or does not have an opinion about. He is all knowing, all powerful, omnipresent, and omniscient.

Now therefore, when the conclave of cardinals made their choice and we all saw white smoke coming out of the signal chimney, it was a consensus decision of the two-thirds majority and the secret ballots were burnt and permanently destroyed so no one else knows who voted for or against this pope, or even abstained.

Now, my question for all of us to ponder is: Who really made the choice of the pope? Was it really and only the cardinals’ choice, or was there some higher hand guiding and shedding the light of wisdom? It is reported that the current and new pope was placed second the last time around. Really? Who knows that?

Christian theology of choice-making

We believe that all humans have a dignity given and ascribed by God at creation, when he made us in his image. That freedom of both, creativity and choice is the same quality given to all humans; without exception.  

Therefore, for one, we are all equals before the Good Lord; whether green, blue, white or black. There is only one human race called mankind or womankind! Those who confuse these concepts of equality need their heads and hearts examined. Hitler’s ketuanan and Umno’s ketuanan are not different in kind or quality; both are equally wrong in the eyes of a sovereign God.

So, who really chose the pope? Even the TV channels and their spokespersons who interviewed and tried to understand the selection or election process and could not see the hand of God.  Christians believe that God chose the pope, and he did it as the cardinals went before him in prayerful anticipation about who is the right pope for this time and season in the world.

Finally, in three short days the white smoke declared that the selection and election of the pope has been made. And they all believe this is God’s perfect choice for a time such as this.

Our choice at the 13th GE

Every Malaysian above 21 and who is registered (either by choice or by default) must cast their vote. To Christians such a vote in the general elections is a sacred duty. Again, before we vote we must seek the face of God and ask the question; who is the right candidate to serve me for the next five years.

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Finally, in three short days the white smoke declared that the selection and election of the pope has been made. And they all believe this is God’s perfect choice for a time such as this.

Our choice at the 13th GE

Every Malaysian above 21 and who is registered (either by choice or by default) must cast their vote. To Christians such a vote in the general elections is a sacred duty. Again, before we vote we must seek the face of God and ask the question; who is the right candidate to serve me for the next five years.

If we do not know the candidate, please invite them to your church some evening and let them meet the parishioners in the fellowship halls. Ask any and every question you have about issues and concerns. Be an informed; be not an uninformed and ignorant voter.

All churches are having a prayer vigil for the 13th GE. Why? So that every Christian can vote with the right frame of mind and heart and make the right choice. What then are the issues and concerns of all Malaysians as we seek to elect and select a new government? I see seven priority issues or concerns; each of which addresses the seven deadly sins mentioned by Mariam Mokhtar. They are:

  • We do not want a corrupt and decadent government,
  • We do not want a government that lies and cheats,
  • We want a government that does not abuse the name of God,
  • We want a government that can help us migrate towards a more mature democracy,
  • We want a government which will improve the institutions of good governance,
  • We want a government who promotes being Malaysians first; ethnics second,
  • We want a government that treats all Malaysians as equal citizens.

Therefore any candidate, of whichever party makes a pledge that states all of the above will surely get my vote, after I check their track record on all these matters to ensure that their espoused theory is the same as their theory-in-use. That is always my litmus test of any candidate; do their actions speak louder than their words.

Like with the Catholic Church of Rome, may we, too, elect and select a government which meets God’s criterion for the kind and quality of leadership Malaysia needs for “times such as these”.

We have porous boundaries wherein illegal immigrants come across the border, we have illegal immigrants who are given blue ICs, while some 40,000 Indians whose grandparents built Malaya do not have ICs and places to live and worship, we have government projects that are all inflated in cost and pricing without open and transparent tenders.

These are all the curses of mis-governance in Malaysia. May the God of the universe hear our cries of prayer and may we see His hand move also in our nation, as he did with the Catholic Church of Rome. May we be blessed with clean and fair general elections! God bless Malaysia.