I have become a sceptic of the 1anything false theology being preached and practiced by the current leadership of Malaysia; namely the ruling coalition of the federal government. My reasons are simple, and my column seeks to explain why I think and feel the way I do.
Locating our integrity as a nation
Shad Saleem Faruqi, Emeritus Professor of Constitutional Law, has a publication called ‘Document of Destiny.’ The Oriental Hearts and Mind Study Institute (OHMSI) bought 30 copies of these and give them as gifts to speakers at forums we organise to educate Malaysians about the nuances and intricacies of this important document. It defines our only continued basis for integration with integrity in this nation-state we call home; Malaysia.
Malaysian integrity, as a nation state, lies within the Articles of the federal constitution. It is our objective reality and public truth out there, which we cannot ignore or pretend about. It is published, passed by Parliament, but closing one eye now about its truths cannot wish it away. Like God; it exists in objective reality of time, space and maturity.
If this document does not define our dignity and integrity; nothing else will. Then, not even God or Allah can help us. We have to help ourselves with such truth matters, and cannot adopt a close-one-eye culture which appears more natural in all Asian cultures; in dealing with inconvenient truths.
While our constitution does define Sabah and Sarawak as ‘states’ just like the 11 others of peninsular Malaya; they are not states, at the same units of analysis. The 11 are sub-systems of Malaya but Sabah and Sarawak, much like Singapore, can choose to make a case for their independence even now, if they can establish that the Malaysia Agreement has been violated.
The peninsular states, including Penang and Malacca, unfortunately cannot, any more. That is the legal and historical reality.
Sabah and Sarawak are one-third partners of the Malaysia Agreement. We deny that at our peril, as a UN-recognised nation-state. Therefore, while the same word, ‘states’ defines all 13 states, and one Federal Territory, we deny their one-third equal partnership at our own peril.
Consequently, when we get a chief minister who knows the law and who chooses not to “become subservient to Putrajaya”, Sabah and Sarawak can redefine their federal-state relations, in spite of our pet reading and private interpretation of the constitution.
One sure but bad case-story is the National Security Council Bill just cleared by Parliament; and now awaits the Royal Assent. I have argued that case in my last column for the year. It redefines federal-state relations in an unacceptable way.
MACC’s warning to heads of depts
The Sun of Dec 28, 2015 screamed a headline that got my full attention: ‘COMPLY or else…” The Malaysian Anti-Corruption Commission (MACC) is reported to be working with the chief secretary of the government to issue a circular to make it compulsory for government heads of department to comply with specific recommendations made by the MACC to the departments.
My first thought was: “Why do we need another circular; do not General Orders and Chapter for Discipline and the Financial Procedures Ordinance already allow for all such necessary compliance?” Surely, in my mind and heart, it is the office of the chief secretary which is the real source of all such problems. Leadership is the lid that defines all organisations.
The cabinet secretary, who is chief secretary, is ex-officio chief of promotions and discipline for all public service matters. Surely any non-compliance can be dealt with quite easily, if there is political will at the level of the cabinet secretary, and the PM, as chairperson of the cabinet.
Maybe the real source of the problem is the insecurities of current office holders. Whereas the holders were guaranteed job security because of the neutrality of all public servants, that neutrality of perspective was compromised and since been lost after the sudden sacking of the former director-general of the Public Services Department recently.
Furthermore, the chief secretary is also the chairperson of the board of governors of the Integrity Institute of Malaysia (IIM), on which also sits both the MACC chief and the auditor-general of Malaysia. Do we really need even more authority for real and serious compliance to all existing financial procedures of due processes? The entire board are non-politicians.
Is our National integrity Agenda, and the responsibility of the board of directors of IIM, only about corporate administration of the programmes of the institute? Is not the acculturalisation of the language, meanings, and better appreciation of our culture of integrity, or lack thereof, also a matter of good governance of the whole nation-state?
Political will for excellence
If I were to apply my public services-trained mind and heart towards real problem-analysis and solution-seeking of the gravest problems of the public services today; it would be focussed on the core issue of corruption prevention and punishment of the guilty parties under all existing rules and regulations. Sack all violators; and that will send a clear message.
In fact, I would go one step further and argue that any anti-corruption agenda for Malaysia is a positive programme towards both; integrity affirmation, and the pursuit of excellence of values in every arena of life.
Therefore, I would like to argue that currently there is no political will for addressing issues of corruption and violation of due processes in all systems of governance in Malaysia. I think the source of the problem is our lack of a clear and efficacious definition of the real and serious corruption of all traditional values in Malaysia.
‘Balancing ethics and integrity’
The Sun of Dec 29 carried a full-page article with the above headline written by Halimah Mohd Said. It was based on a paper presented at the Anti-Corruption Foundation Conference held in honour of the UN’s Anti-Corruption Day. She leads an NGO called PCORE whom I support, too.
Her brilliant article concluded the argument for the restoration and preservation of all our traditional values, and namely, she identified the five principles of the Rukunegara. I fully agree with her arguments, but would like to push one step further.
I believe that the entire preamble of the Rukunegara must be included into the federal constitution as a preamble to our multi-ethnic multi-religious rule of law in Malaysia before it is too late. May God especially bless our beloved country in 2016.
