Malaysia’s 10th Prime Minister Anwar Ibrahim recently launched a new slogan called Malaysia MADANI. With this slogan, our 10th Prime Minister aims to bring the country forward by focusing on the concepts of Sustainability, Care and Compassion, Respect, Innovation, Prosperity, and Trust.
Will this slogan be just another slogan like all the past slogans like ‘1Malaysia’, ‘Malaysia Prihatian’ or ‘Keluarga Malaysia’, or will it make an impact and be the catalyst for a new Malaysia? Well, changing the course of a nation will never be easy but it is not impossible. I feel that for Malaysia to be a Madini (civilized) nation, all of us have to work hard. Our leaders, civil servants, and rakyat need to have a change in mindset as well as the courage to change and persevere despite all odds. We cannot afford to stay trapped or bound by our past bad or ugly experiences. We need to look forward with hope and confidence.
Among the concepts encapsulated in Malaysia Madini, I feel that the foremost focus must be RESPECT. All of us need to respect one another regardless of race, creed, or status. Our leaders in the unity government must learn to appreciate diversity, respect the views of others, and agree to disagree if the need arises. Our institutions of learning and religious institutions must exemplify respect in all they say or do. Civil servants too must learn to execute all their tasks with respect to their superiors and vice versa. The ordinary man on the street too must learn and show respect to all.
The next important focus is TRUST. As a multiracial and multicultural nation, we need to trust one another. This ability to trust will oil the machinery of progress in all aspects. We want our nation to progress mentally, socially, spiritually, and economically. Distrust and mistrust will hinder any form of progress. Can we say to one another, “I’ve got your back”? Malaysians have been able to exemplify that in various sports and put Malaysia on the international stage. I hope all of us at all levels of leadership and society will soon be able to echo that – I’ve got your back.
Respect and trust will cause us to show care and concern to all. These tenets will further spur innovation and bring prosperity to all of us as individuals as well as a nation. Let us all work hand in hand to make Malaysia a MADINI nation.
By Mei Wong
Mei Wong is a content creator under the Newswav Creator programme, where you get to express yourself, be a citizen journalist, and at the same time monetize your content & reach millions of users on Newswav. Log in to creator.newswav.com and become a Newswav Creator now!
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