Malaysia's Hope is with the Next Gen

There has been a very positive shift in the way youth around the world view systemic or institutional racism.  Many polls and research have found that millenials and Gen Z are more racially tolerant than their elders.  Indeed,  in Malaysia itself I find that across the races, there is a common disdain to racism these days among the young.  While there are many factors, I’m sure that social media with its global reach have exposed our youths to a global community made up of all kinds of race and religions.  Exposure to injustices around the world due to racism has also reached our corner of the globe.

Just try asking a Gen Z kid what he or she thinks of the Malaysian historical narrative of “ketuanan melayu” (Malay supremacy).  History says that Malays have been here as early as the 13^th century and therefore considered landlords to the other races who were recently “brought in” by the British.   Mahathir himself has said that Malays are the rightful owners of Malaysia and non Malays are but “guests.” He says in his book, The Malay Dilemma;  “Malays are the rightful owners of Malaya, and that if citizenship is conferred on races other than the Malays, it is because the Malays consent to this.  This consent is conditional.” (Malay Dilemma, p126).  This ideology of malay supremacy has ruled Malaysian politics since independence. It is why Tun Mahathir believes in a coalition model divided by race with the malay only party being the dominant party.  This has been the Barisan Nasional model since independence and for many older politicians this is all they know. A divided Malaysia according to race.  Thankfully however, there is a shift in the moral compass of our young Malaysians. This narrative of Ketuanan Melayu is becoming repulsive to the Gen Z and millennial generations.

 

While there is respect accorded to the elders, this race based politics in Malaysia is thankfully coming to an end with the rise of a new generation of Malaysians.  Political parties that are non race based like KEADILAN is attracting many young Malaysians  of all races because it is seen as progressive.  It is unlike the other Malay dominated parties who due to political expediency allows for other races to become members.

 

I believe if you talk to any millennial generation today in Malaysia you will find that they care for the poor and marginalized; namely the refugees.  They will talk about the widow and the homeless poor but gone are the questions in their minds: Malay, Indian or chinese? This subtle shift is a great welcome to a new Malaysia.  Those political parties led by the old politicians of yester years will only find themselves more and more obsolete and irrelevant and rightfully so for there is no more place for them in the horizons of a new Malaysia.  If Malaysia is to compete effectively globally, it belongs to the new generation of millenials who are mostly colour blind.

Happy 63^rd Merdeka! Selamat Hari Kebangsaan Malaysia! 

 

A proud parent of Gen Z Malaysians

An Inconvenient Love

An Inconvenient Love

Refugees are inconvenient. They take up the nation’s resources and they put nothing back into the economy. They don’t work and they live off charity.   Their dilapidated and small living conditions are conducive for viruses and infections.  Some are prone to a life of crime and violence.

The number of UNHCR registered refugees in Malaysia stands at 179,520. 90% of them are Muslims and the largest group are the Rohingya refugees which account for 101,500 of them.  The rest come from Myanmar Chin, Pakistan, Yemen, Somali, Afghanistan, Iraq and others. These are those that are registered with UNHCR. The actual numbers including those not registered are probably more. Some have estimated the numbers to be as many as 500,000.

I would not comment on the politics of immigrants and government policies as it is complicated and multi faceted – issues which include foreign diplomacy and border security. Instead I wish to write about why my church community decided to help the Rohingya by giving them food and other basic necessities.

In recent weeks there have been a lot of hatred aimed at the Rohingya community.  Much of the vitriol on social media shows the anger sparked by the Selayang wholesale market cluster. Although many have acknowledged that much of the noise come from cybertroopers with an  agenda, some are still understandably angry.  Much of the anger come from a sense of fear of the virus and the uncertainty of our future.  The economy is badly affected and many Malaysians have lost their jobs over the last 2 months and as companies struggle to survive even more will be unemployed. As a result of the pie getting smaller some have not even been able to get food or basic necessities. Where will people divert their anger to? The most vulnerable in society.  The Rohingya refugees.

 Christians however have a different outlook.  Driven by God’s obvious compassion for the poor, the foreigners, the orphans and the widows; Christians are compelled to care for them.  This group of four is what Christian philosopher Nicholas Wolterstoff calls “the quartet of the vulnerable.” The widow, the orphan, the refugee and the poor are mentioned in bits and pieces all over the Old Testament.  However it is clearly stated together in Zechariah 7:9-10

“This is what the Lord Almighty said: “Administer true justice; show mercy and compassion to one another. Do not oppress the widow or the fatherless, the foreigner or the poor.”   We are told to show mercy and compassion to one another but specifically to the quartet of the vulnerable.  Why?

For one because God is compassionate to our struggles on earth.  It is often said in the Bible that God, the most compassionate sees and hear the cries of the widows, the fatherless, the foreigners (refugees) and the poor in our midst.  If that is what is on God’s heart, then should we not have compassion towards them as well?  Should we not share some of that with which God has blessed us, with these who do not have?

Secondly, we are reminded that we are to show mercy and give help to the quartet of the vulnerable because we too were once neglected like widows, unloved like orphans, oppressed like foreigners or refugees and needy like the poor. Christians have this doctrine of original sin. The believe that the tendency to evil is innate within man because of the original sin of Adam and Eve in the Garden of Eden. This sin within us is the cause of all the world’s troubles today which includes sickness and diseases, wars, hatred, divorce, corruption and even Covid 19.  We are proud and think we have no need for God in our lives.  We fight with each other and watch with envy and hatred when someone else receives blessings or does well. We find it easier to see other people’s errors and slow to own up to our own. We take what is not ours and we abuse the earth for our own selfish gains.

God looks down into time and sees our world of suffering and hears our cries and provides a solution.  He promises a Savior, whom the Jews know as the Messiah.  In the Old Testament, this Messiah or “the Promised One” was despised and rejected by men. He was to be “a man of sorrows and acquainted with grief” (Isaiah 53).

Justice had to be served. Somebody without sin had to be the ransom for our sins. Jesus Christ bore our griefs and carried our sorrows so that we can have a life without grief or sorrow one day.  He was neglected, unloved, oppressed and needy on the cross so that we don’t have to be. 

In short, we have received mercy and love out of sheer grace.  Jesus Christ on the cross was a  benevolent gift from God for us all. In light of this mercy and love lavished upon us, Christians are motivated to offer mercy and love to others who are neglected, unloved, oppressed and needy in our society. Be they Rohingya refugees or poor and hungry Malaysians, Christians are told to do justice, to love mercy and to walk humbly before our God. We do this by feeding and clothing the widows, the orphans, the refugees and the poor among us.

The third reason, we choose to serve the Rohingya refugees is because we are reminded that we too are on a journey towards heaven.  This life here on earth - filled with pain and suffering, oppression and hate, sickness and diseases is not our permanent home. We are refugees, awaiting our repatriation to a place where we will be with God forever. A place where there will be no more tears, sickness and diseases.  No more hate and oppression.  (Revelation 21:4)

This is why although inconvenient we choose to love. We choose to give food and aid because we who had little to offer have received much.  This is true even for us all as Malaysians of all religions.  God has been good to us all, we have been blessed with a  nation of plenty eventhough it had been abused by corruption.  God has given us much, why not share with those who are hungry among us eventhough they are different and inconvenient.

  

An Unrequited Love : A Non Malay Dilemma

“Because, if you could love someone, and keep loving them, without being loved back ... then that love had to be real. It hurt too much to be anything else.”

- Sarah Cross, Kill Me Softly

An unrequited love is perhaps the most painful of all but it makes it true and real because it is a love that receives little but is fiercely loyal and ferociously unwavering. That is perhaps what best describes my love for Malaysia. 

Born 11 years after Merdeka, I am a first generation Merdeka child.

Having been born and raised in Malaysia this is my home and I would not think of anywhere else to be buried then the place I have lived for over five decades.

When asked what I love most about Malaysia I would say like many others, her food. The variety and myriad of flavors and taste and colors actually reflect her peoples. Our rich mix of a variety of culture and languages is uniquely Malaysian. No nation in Southeast Asia can celebrate this diversity as we do here in Malaysia.

However, this diversity also comes with it some challenges. They include challenges of ethnic and religious relations. The result of these tensions culminated in the May 13, 1969 racial conflict in Malaysia.

Moving on from May 13, Malaysians learned to live with each other’s sensitivities, but never quite discussing or trying to understand the ethnic and religious differences.

Tolerance does not beget unity

In (former prime minister) Dr Mahathir Mohamad’s vocabulary, he called this ‘tolerance between the races’. In his Merdeka speech in 2019, he said: “Malaysia was built on the foundations of tolerance, goodwill, mutual respect, the readiness of giving and sharing, selflessness and a desire to make sacrifices for the sake of the country.”

Indeed growing up in Malaysia, many of us have learned the art of dancing peacefully with one another.

There are boundaries for which we are not to discuss. For example: Article 153 of Malay rights and privileges is prohibited by law to be discussed. There are religious sensitivities which we as Malaysians grow up to respect of one another. Areas we don’t talk about because we respect and tolerate one another.

This is wonderful except that after 60 years, we don’t know each other very well. The next generations have grown apart with a suspicion of one another.

Because we have been told to tolerate, we accept the idiosyncrasies of each race without truly understanding and caring for each other. Tolerance, unfortunately, is not true unity.

Are non-Malays just tenants?

As the longest serving prime minister, Mahathir has shaped Malaysian social and political construct like no one else. It is in Mahathir’s Malaysia that Malays are told they are the rightful owners of Malaysia and non-Malays are but “guests.”

He says in his book, The Malay Dilemma: “Malays are the rightful owners of Malaya, and that if citizenship is conferred on races other than the Malays, it is because the Malays consent to this. This consent is conditional.” (Malay Dilemma, p126)

With this, it is forever incumbent upon the “other races” to understand their place. Non-Malays in Mahathir’s mind are not stakeholders in this enterprise called Malaysia. They are merely renters.

Renters know their place. They may decorate, they may make a living in the premise but nothing else. You do not have a say in the future or the major renovation of the property.

Unfortunately, this has been the position of non Malays in Malaysia and especially more so when power of the ruling elite of the independence Malay party lost its foothold.

A different narrative of Malaysia

There is another narrative that is of a more inclusive Malaysia. A less divisive Malaysia. A formula promoted by some royalties and the leaders of the recently collapsed Pakatan Harapan government.

In 2007, Perak’s Sultan Nazrin Shah himself, said: “Malaysians of all races, religion and geographic locations, need to believe beyond a shadow of a doubt, that they have a place under the Malaysian sun.”

This means that non Malays are not just renters but fellow stakeholders in the future and direction of this beloved nation.

While we are made to believe that the majority of Malays hate the Chinese and DAP, I believe that these are but the noisy minority who have a sinister political agenda.

Most reasonable minded Malaysians have learned to appreciate each other’s differences and like our food we merge into our own distinct culture and flavor. A Malaysian culture and formula.

Standing at crossroads

What does that look like? How do we get there? That is the question for our next generation of young leaders to answer.

We stand at a crossroad in Malaysia and it is time to ask seriously, “Who are we?” and “Who do we want to become?” A tolerant Malaysia with landlords and tenants or a Malaysia celebrating its unique differences where every Malaysian has an equal place under the Malaysian sun.

This reality cannot be more evident then in our current political scenario in the two governments that have taken its respective corners in the ring. Perikatan Nasional and Pakatan Harapan. They both stand for very different ideologies and will therefore shape very different futures for Malaysia.

Perikatan Nasional consist of mainly conservative Malays from UMNO, ex-UMNO or the religious wing, from PAS. Pakatan Harapan, however, except for Mahathir who was only recently added to lead for convenience, has a progressive agenda for a more inclusive Malaysia with her distinct Malaysian culture and flavor.

What would the future Malaysia look like?

My hope is that in this Malaysia, non-Malays will no longer be viewed as tenants but brothers and sisters with fellow Malaysians of all race and religion charting and fighting for the future of a better and brighter nation.

We must cease the fight for individual tribal agendas and work towards what is best for the future of Malaysia as one single entity.

Do we keep quiet and turn away when our neighbors house is being robbed?

Every 4 to 5 years Christians would invariably ask about their involvement in politics and specifically if the church should be involved in partisan politics and to what extent?

If being partisan means pledging ones allegiance and backing it up with monetary resources then the answer is definitely a NO. The church pays its allegiance to no one but the Great Shepherd of the Church Himself, the Lord Jesus Christ. The core purpose of the church is to live for and to glorify Christ in all things.  There has been accusations by politicians and Muslim academicians who allude to the fact that the church has a political motive to take over Malaysia politically. The church has no such lowly calling for why should the church bother about ruling a nation on earth temporarily when it has the high calling of ruling the earth in eternity? (Revelation 5)  

Should the church then bother herself with what happens to the country? Absolutely because the welfare of our lives are affected by the policies of the government. 

In this upcoming General Elections however it is very clear that the Prime Minister and the incumbent government is party to the misappropriation of millions of dollars of the Malaysian Sovereign Wealth Fund  called 1MDB.  The US Dept of Justice has claimed that this case is the biggest Kleptocracy case in US history. They have begun seizing assets which finds its paper trail to 1MDB.

“These cases involve billions of dollars that should have been used to help the people of Malaysia, but instead was used by a small number of individuals to fuel their astonishing greed,”

Acting U.S. Attorney Brown. 

The UK, Switzerland, Singapore, Hong Kong and the United States have opened investigations into the misappropriation of 1MDB funds and arrests have already been made in these respective countries.  

The Prime Minister of Malaysia himself has admitted to receiving USD700 million into his personal account. It does not matter whether this is a private deal or if some Saudi Prince loves the Malaysian Prime Minister or his work, the fact that the leader of a sovereign nation has received such a huge sum into his private account is cause for great concern. If indeed it is not the money from the Sovereign Wealth Fund then it is in fact a matter of national security that a foreign nation would deposit USD700 million into the personal account of the Prime Minister. It puts into question the integrity and loyalty of the Prime Minister to the nation and no democratically elected leader in the world would have survived politically from such blatant abuse.

The full investigative reports of the 1MDB fiasco by the Parliamentary Select Committee and by the Attorney General is kept as Official Secrets and is not released to the public for accountability. The Parliamentary Speaker would not allow any debates on the 1MDB crisis.  The Attorney General was forced to resign shortly after the case when public. The new Attorney general has closed the case. It trully begs the question of what is the Prime Minister trying to hide?

When such evidence of impropriety have surfaced, the question that confronts us is “should we keep quiet in the face of such blatant corruption?” We cannot. No honest citizen especially Christians should close an eye to the injustice and corruption in Malaysia. If our neighbors house was in the middle of being robbed, do we not at the least run in to call the police so that the robbery could be stopped and the robbers caught. This is our responsibility as citizens of Malaysia and our calling as Christians.

In a parliamentary democracy like Malaysia, we exercise our rights to elect our leaders who would represent us in the Parliament and in the Executive.  This democratic exercise occurs every 4 to 5 years in a General Election at the polling booths all over Malaysia. In most cases there are two parties contesting.  We know one is already untrustworthy and has a proven record of stealing and have grossly misused public funds. Do we continue to give our support to the robber who robbed our neighbor?  Of course not. We in fact demand that justice be done and restitution be made. 

So we pray for justice, righteousness and truth to sweep over our nation.  The Catholic Bishop of Malacca and Johor has issued a call to national prayer and in it he called on his church to pray for God’s intervention and for change in this upcoming General Elections.  

The church has an opportunity to speak up clearly without fear or favour of any political party.  The church remains above and beyond any political party so that we can remain neutral and speak up when there is evidence of corruption, when the poor are marginalized, the widows and orphans are struggling to make ends meet and when the aliens among us are exploited. If we appear partisan especially in a General Election, then so be it but history has proven that evil will triumph when good men do nothing or say nothing. 

The choice is clear....

Musings on my First Year Anniversary

This week last year I began my treatment for Nasal Pharyngeal carcinoma (NPC) or nose cancer in layman’s terms.  It was a rough journey and till today it still brings tears to my eyes thinking about the process I had to undergo towards recovery.  It was a total of 7 weeks of treatment, 35 daily blast of radiotherapy together with a weekly dose of chemotherapy, endless poking of needles, scans and a basket full of meds.  I lost a total of 14Kgs in that 7 weeks (and have only added 2Kgs of that back in the last 12 months).

Neverthless today, I am thankful.  I am officially in remission and there is to date no trace of the cancer. I do realize however that the potential of it returning is always there and as such I have been advised to manage my stress levels and be careful of what I eat.

More importantly I have learn valuable life lessons I know I would never have learned if the handbreaks were not suddenly pulled while travelling at full speed. Here are some;

1) I am not indispensable. The success of my work, the project I am on, doesn’t depend on me. I do have giftings that I bring to the table but at the end of the day my giftings is not what makes or breaks the deal….so chill.

2) There’s always people who were born to ruffle your feathers. Whether they’re fellow road users or close friends, acquaintances or colleagues.  Don’t fret the small stuff, just Keep Calm, let the water flow off the feathers, and move on.

3) I am not indestructible. When I heard the news – I couldn’t believe it.  Cancer?  Me? Really? Cant take my health for granted. I am in for the long haul – take care of the body!

4) Loving and appreciating my friends and family.  I would not have survived the cancer if not for my devoted spouse and care giver, Connie who made the soups, pureed the food, calmed my raging stomach as it nauseated, drove me to my radiation appointments and watched me helplessly as I banged my head on the wall in frustration. My 3 kids who watched helplessly, accompanied me to hospital and gave me the courage to face the darn machine each day.

My church friends who prayed around the clock for me, counted the weeks off for me and spurred me to go on. The love meals they cooked for my family- I love the church.

I had friends from all around the world spurring me to go on and petitioning God on my behalf.

5) God was silent but He was there. There were nights and early mornings I just sat at my bed wondering where God was and if He wouldn’t just come and put me out of misery. (Heal me of course) But I only heard….silence. I know now for a fact He was there, through the comfort of His Word, through the love I experienced from all who were praying for me. More importantly carrying me through this ordeal.

I am constantly reflecting and thinking through this wild journey over the last 12 months. Its strange, I look back and I don’t know where the last 3 months of 2016 went nor the first 3 months of 2017.  I spend those days, each day, just trying to recover and survive. I did nothing and was mainly unproductive but the lessons I have learned are invaluable.

My journey was recorded here :

http://viadolorosa2016.blogspot.my/2016/10/introduction.html

WHEN GOVERNMENT WORKS (WE GOT OUR URBAN FOREST)

Franklin Roosevelt the 32^nd President of the USA once said this, “Let us never forget that government is ourselves and not an alien power over us. The ultimate rulers of our democracy are not a President and senators and congressmen and government officials, but the voters of this country.”

 I think the voters in Malaysia over decades have felt emasculated in many ways thinking that the people who represent us care little for our welfare. They rule over us as like an alien power. We feel distanced from government and unable to have a say in what truly affects us on a daily basis. This can be very frustrating even depressing.

Sometimes however government works and when it does it affects us all and brings immense benefit to the people. I like to cite an example to show how our neighbourhood became a little better off because we had the channel to voice our proposals and to have it heard and considered. I know this is a rare story nevertheless we are thankful for the small improvements in Selangor. 

About 10 years ago when we moved in to Pinggiran USJ, there was a sizable piece of land next to our taman. Approximateky 3ha. When we purchased our house, we were told that the empty land was an MPSJ reserved land. As years went by we heard of the possibility of an eatery or hawker center, a motel with sports facilities, a driving range, even a shopping complex etc.  Many a times I drove by and saw people in their long sleeve shirts parking their Mercedes surveying the empty land with rolled out maps and drawings of the area.  I, as with all our neighbours were obviously very concerned. As it is we have so little public spaces and the last thing we wanted was another concrete mall next to our taman.

In 2010, I served as the Chairman of USJ3ABCD Residents Association and because of that was onboard the MPSJ Residents Committee for Zone 3 (JKP Zone 3).  The Committee was under the leadership of then Councillor Rajiv Rishyakaran who is now the ADUN of Bukit Gasing.  Afraid that another shopping mall or concrete building was to come up instead of a recreational space, I drafted a proposal in March 2011 through the JKP, the idea of an Ecological Urban Forest. We called it the Z3 Eco Forest. The JKP accepted the idea and we presented the proposal to the Council.  MPSJ approved the idea and on Nov 11^th 2011, the Subang Jaya community together with a private school nearby planted 1,111 trees in the area, officiated and supported by our ADUN, YB Hannah Yeoh.    

Today, 6 years later, the Park is fully supported by MPSJ and earthworks is being carried out.  This is a win for the Residents of Pinggiran Subang Jaya and Subang Jaya at large as we will have an Urban Forest right in our township. I was told that because of the Urban Forest the value of the properties in the area would also escalate.

 In the midst of all the skepticism and frustration of government working for the people here is a success story.  When government works, and the people’s interest are heard; residents are happy and the state prospers. It works only when ordinary voters, residents, neighbors care enough to get  involved in resident groups or committees.  I can only imagine this on a larger scale, perhaps one day not just in Subang Jaya or Selangor, but the whole Malaysia when we can then fully comprehend Roosevelt’s quote; “The ultimate rulers of our democracy are not a President and senators and congressmen and government officials, but the voters of this country.” 

The ambitious proposal included these facilities:

Facilities

The proposed facilities available on Z3 Eco Forest are as follows:

1)      A 2Km walking and jogging path around the park.

2)      A bicycle path along the walking and jogging track

3)      Ponds and streams along the path

4)      Picnic and Playground area with water features and landscape

5)      An arts and cultural center approx 2000 square feet

6)      A small amphitheatre

7)      A Eco Farm

8)      Parking

The Empty land before 2011

View towards the kindergarten in 2011

Why we can have hope living in Malaysia

This Chinese New Year like many others before, there are ample discussions about politics and the state of Malaysia. Only this time, there is little anger vented just a sigh of tiredness and resignation to a seemingly hopeless situation in Malaysia. After 2 General Elections with change seemingly within our grasp, now all that is left is a sense despair and hopelessness. Many have left the country in desperation, unable to see any hope for a better Malaysia…even Christians.

While it is never our place to question each person’s calling to another country as God can also turn this into a blessing there is a clear reason why some should stay.  I can think of 3 reasons :

1) There is always hope for the believer.

It really depends what we put at the center of our lives.  If its comfort and a better life for ourselves and our family then when we look at the Malaysian horizon, it is clear that it ain’t going to happen anytime soon.  Is that what we have been called to though? 

What has been promised for the believer is the hope of eternal life with Christ in heaven. We have received all spiritual blessings in the heavenly places, we have been adopted as His sons and daughters because of Christ, we are the beneficiary of lavish grace even when we deserve death. Is this not sufficient a hope of the things to come?  For some your theology informs you that God promises a life without sickness and diseases. Someone told me (a well meaning friend) during my recent fight with cancer to claim healing for it is my right as a Christian.  A quick view of the New Testament saints reveals a people not unfamiliar with persecution and suffering, yet their prayers are not about alleviating the present suffering but always about the advancement of the Gospel. 

When our hope lie in Christ and the eternal life which He procured for us on the cross, it frees us to bring goodness, justice, peace and righteousness upon this broken, corrupted, sinful and disease laden world.  Indeed there are Christians in places of authority who are currently bringing reform and change to institutions of government because of their belief in the Gospel of Christ. This leads me to the next point.

2) God is mission minded.

In Jeremiah 29, a letter was sent to the exiles in Babylon from the prophet Jeremiah.  He told the exiles, go into the city, built your houses, plant your gardens, raise your family and then seek and pray for the shalom of the city.  Imagine that, to seek the shalom (wholesome peace) and to pray for the good of your captors.  Why? Because God had sent them there.  This was not some random occurrence. Yes, they were under discipline but God had also ordained that the people of Israel were to settle in Babylon for 70 years to influence and to bring goodness, wholesomeness, peace, justice and righteousness as they live out their lives in a hostile city.  Somehow the citizens of Babylon mattered to God and the people of Israel were to bring shalom into their lives.

We are to do the same in our Babylon. It is not by chance that our ancestors settled on the shores of Malaysia some 100 years ago. We are to settle down, find our vocation, do business, work and seek the welfare of Malaysia.  Heck! We are to pray for Malaysia!  Pray for the very people who receive the promotion which we were hoping to get but because they were of the right race?  Pray for the people who asks you to return to China when we born in this beautiful land?  Pray for the very people who use Christians as scapegoats of bad things that befall the city?   Yes, Yes and yes!  We pray for the shalom of Malaysia, we pray for righteousness and justice to prevail so the country can begin to prosper.  We can do this because our hope and reward is in heaven.

3) We must see with spiritual eyes

In Numbers 13, Moses had sent out 12 spies to the Promised Land to recce the place. They came back with grapes and reported that the place was flowing with milk and honey. It was fertile and productive, but the people there are strong. Very strong and intimidating. Out of the 12, 10 returned fearful and opposed moving in. Only Caleb and Joshua believed that God would deliver them.  They said; “Don’t rebel against the Lord, and don’t be afraid of the people of the land. We will devour them like bread. They have no protection, and the Lord is with us. So don’t be afraid of them.”

When our eyes are fixed on the giants and seemingly hopeless situation we tremble in fear. Where got hope? The opposition is in disarray. The corrupt leaders will still be in power. The economy and education is in shambles. Islamization is inevitable as the Hudud is implemented step by step. Tell your children don’t come back. No more hope in Malaysia.  However if we like Caleb and Joshua set our eyes on Jesus and place our hope in God, we shall see God’s will be done here in this country.

I have to admit many times I too think what am I doing here?   It does look bleak, perhaps this is the best time to make our exit for the next generation. We must encourage one another; that our hope is not on the temporal things of the earth but on the future glory of heaven. We must belief that God has called us in the meantime to be here in Malaysia, to bring Kingdom values and shalom to Kuala Lumpur, Putrajaya, Penang, Kuching and every corner of Malaysia. We must see with spiritual eyes that God is doing something significant and we have the privilege of being a part of his mission in Malaysia.  We must remind one another to keep our eyes on Jesus and not on the seemingly fragile situation we are in.

God bless you and lets pray for the shalom of Malaysia.

When can Young Malaysians shout "Merdeka" from within Merdeka Square?

This week the Federation of Malaya celebrates 59 years of Independence from British rule.  Thousands will gather once again, as usual in pomp and circumstance on Merdeka Square. There will be fireworks and loud celebrations in the evening.  

Merdeka Square is an iconic place reminding Malaysians of our independence from British rule. The Jalur Gemilang was first raised there in 1957 when The Federation of Malaya formally declared her independence and chartered a brave new course for self-rule.  

Yet, the weekend before our 59^th year of Independence, Merdeka Square was in desperate lockdown. It appears that a group of young Malaysians were protesting. Their rallying call?  “#Tangkap MO1” or Catch MO1.  The iconic Merdeka Square on 27^th August, 2016 however was surrounded by The Royal Malaysian Police. The young protesters were denied entry.  The reason?  Perhaps best explained by Tourism Minister Mohammad Nazri;  “Seek approval from the police. There is an Act (Peaceful Assembly Act). If the police say cannot, then cannot, lah. I understand that approval must also be sought from the landowner. DBKL is the owner of Dataran Merdeka. If it says cannot, then cannot lah,”  

On one level it seems straight forward. The government of the day denies Malaysian youth the right to assemble on a public place, specifically Independence Square (Merdeka Square).  On another level, this is a stark reality of Malaysia under the rule of one single government for 59 years. It is perhaps symbolic that the future of Malaysia represented by these brave and idealistic youths were denied their freedom to step foot on the symbol of Independence and freedom in Malaysia. It was loud and clear, that this government would not allow anyone into Merdeka Square on that afternoon of the 27^th of August.

The reason is simple according to Minister in Najib’s cabinet. Dataran Merdeka or Merdeka Square belongs to DBKL. They are the landowners.  When did any government agency become landowners in Malaysia most of all a public square of historic significance? 

This is what happens when one party becomes ruling government for too long. They forget that they represent the people and are elected into government to ensure that all Malaysians are treated fairly under the constitution. Nazri’s statement bleeds of arrogance. Governments are not private landowners.  They are mere guardians of public spaces and public amenities and infrastructure. They have no right to deny any law abiding citizen of Malaysia from entry into any public space especially Dataran Merdeka which is the symbol of freedom and independence in Malaysia.

It is clear that this regular lockdown of Merdeka Square each time there is a peaceful protest is an affront to the freedom and rights of the Malaysian people. The grills, barricades and barb wires are symbolic of a repressive regime bent on holding power even in the midst of a deep financial scandal implicating a senior government official in the ruling BN government.

When, Oh when will the people be able to finally shout “Merdeka!” from inside Merdeka Square like our brave forefathers on the evening of 31^st August 1957?

Should I stay or Should I go? A Biblical response to the question of migration

Really with each passing day, Malaysia looks less and less recognizable. Whatever we had dreamed about – a successful formula of a diverse, multi ethnic people living together and working towards a common destiny seem like a distant mirage now.  Even as we look at our daily life here in Malaysia, it is discouraging to say the least. Government just isn’t working. The city is dirty, road works and public amenities are slipshod with little care for the details. Public transport is inefficient and costly.  Parks and public amenities like swimming pools and public spaces are few.  Our public education system is so bad that people are having to pay for an international or private education.  Those who cannot afford many times, sadly, face mediocre and unmotivated public school teachers. It’s impossible to start a company or to do business in Malaysia without being asked for graft or a bribe. This sickening culture exists from government officials in Putrajaya and local councils to purchasing executives in private companies. Foreign companies loathe to start a business here in Malaysia for this reason. Instead of worrying about the billions that have been lost from Malaysia through the 1MDB fiasco, politicians are more concern about passing through Parliament an archaic form of punishment that would take Malaysia back to the dark ages.  It seems like nobody cares anymore that Malaysia is heading in a dangerous trajectory, least of all the political leaders who seem to be fiddling with politics while “Rome burns.”

With all that is going on, it is so tempting to throw in the towel and to give up on Malaysia. It would be a lie to say that the thought of a successful and comfortable life in the suburbs of Sydney or Perth never crossed my mind. It has and of late all the more frequent.  Why stay?  

Indeed there can only be one reason for any Christian Malaysian to stay on.  It is our cultural and gospel mandate which is given to every professing Christian. What is this cultural mandate? It is the mandate given in Genesis 1 to rule over and subdue the earth. How do we do that as New Testament Christians? We do that by living out the values of the Kingdom of God here, now, while we live in the kingdom of this world.  This idea of the Kingdom is clearly spelt out through a series of parables Jesus told in Matthew 13. Christians are not to be separated from the weeds but both are to grow up together (Matt 13:24-30), Christians though small in number like the mustard seed shall have great influence and become a blessing to many nations(Matt13:31-32). The influence of the Kingdom of Heaven, the influence of Christians, like the little leaven is to permeate and work in and through the Kingdom of this world, spreading the values of the Kingdom(Matt13:33) – justice, truth, righteousness, mercy, grace etc.    

So why cant we do this from wherever we are.  We can also fulfill our cultural mandate in a more civilized environment like New Zealand or Australia. True and yet not.

I think the beatitudes of Luke 6:20-26 gives us a clearer picture of what we are to seek and the posture of our hearts as we seek them.  According to the Beatitudes it appears that there are two ways to live. One way of living is the way of the Kingdom of God (20-22) (blessed) and the other the Kingdom of this world (24-26) (woe). It is not that one should seek to be poor or hungry or sad or hated so that we can be called blessed and neither is it cursed to be rich, full or happy. The purpose of the kingdom of this world lives for power(rich), comfort(full) and recognition(accepted) and does all it can to obtain these things. Power, comfort and recognition controls the thoughts and decisions in the life of a person living under the influence of the Kingdom of this World.  However, the Beatitudes are calling us as Christian disciples to live for the purpose of the Kingdom of God.  For a Christian disciple he is no longer controlled by what the world thinks as important (power, comfort and recognition). He doesn’t need them and these things don’t drive or motivate him anymore.  It's not that he avoids them but that they don’t drive his motivations and decisions. Eventhough a Christian may weep because of sadness or difficulty, he may be blessed or deeply satisfied.  Even if he is hated because of being a Christian he may rejoice (v.23) because he knows his eternal reward is in heaven.  In other words, a Christian disciple is able to live for the things above, things that have eternal value.  He can live with courage in the face of difficulty wherever he is because he is driven by the eternal kingdom of God not the rewards of this world.  What drives us as Christians living in Malaysia?  Is it power or comfort? A great career hence recognition and acclaim?  I suspect if we seek these things we would lose it but if we seek the Kingdom, we shall gain them.

How then should we live in Malaysia as Christians?  Jeremiah’s letter to the exilic community in Jeremiah 29 gives us a clue.  Go into the city, built your houses, plant your gardens, marry and raise a godly family.  Seek the shalom of the city. Pray for the shalom of the city. The false prophets wanted the exilic community to stay outside the city, live off the city and take form the city but remain separate and undefiled. After all their exile is only 2 years. Jeremiah tells the exilic community that it is going to be 70 years and that they should go in and live in the city.  Make a living from the city and grow a godly family. Increase in number.  Seek the welfare or shalom of the city.  Shalom is not just absence of war but really the wholesome flourishing of every aspect of society.  They were also to pray for their captors. Imagine that! Praying for your enemies.  This is a missional community. This was their purpose in Babylon. To extend the influence of Yahweh in Babylon and to seek after the flourishing of that city.

Somewhere along the way we began to belief that Christ greatest promise to us is a comfortable and prosperous life. Our faith became quite individualistic and our relationship with God became quite business like. God’s existence in my life is to help me live a comfortable, middle class life with as little bumps as possible. I tithe, I remain faithful to CG, I go to church and go for prayer meetings and God you keep your end by keeping me safe and comfortable and successful. If that is the goal of the Christian life then sure go and find greener pastures. Having a clear understanding of the Kingdom and our calling as Christians however, would help reorientate our priorities.  We are called to live out our lives in the greater story of God’s redemption plan. This is exciting and fulfilling. What has God planned for Malaysia in the grand schema of things? What is He calling us, the Malaysian Church to do? How can each of our lives fit into God's redemptive plan for Malaysia - in  the vocation which He has called us to? This calling isn’t always going to be comfortable and nice, in fact many times it becomes hard. Its filled with dangers, toils and snares but as the Beatitudes remind us :

Blessed are you who are poor,

    for yours is the kingdom of God.

 Blessed are you who hunger now,

    for you will be satisfied.

Blessed are you who weep now,

    for you will laugh.

Blessed are you when people hate you,

    when they exclude you and insult you

    and reject your name as evil,

        because of the Son of Man.

Rejoice in that day and leap for joy, because great is your reward in heaven.

We all have to listen to God's call for ourselves and our families and for some it may be to go and some to stay but in your consideration of whether to stay or to go, think about your calling, the Kingdom and your response. 

JOHN MALLOT'S COMMENTS ON THE NAJIB-OBAMA MEET

I have heard from five people, both Malaysians and Americans and all in a position to know, that during his meeting with Najib Abdul Razak on Nov 20, US President Barack Obama called on the Malaysian prime minister to release former opposition leader Anwar Ibrahim from prison.

The request reportedly was made on humanitarian grounds, because of Anwar’s deteriorating health. But the US government position that Anwar’s trial was flawed and politically-motivated, and that Anwar is a political prisoner, is a matter of record.

One person told me that Najib’s response was that he had to follow Malaysia’s legal system. To me, it is ironic that Najib wants to hide behind Malaysia’s legal system, because he certainly has had no hesitation to use and abuse it for his own political ends.

And it’s not just against the opposition anymore. Now he’s going after critics in his own party, as well as investigators who have gotten too close to the truth.

A lot has happened since the famous golf game last December. Starting with Anwar’s conviction in February, there was that major front page expose in the New York Times, detailing all the allegations of corruption surrounding Najib and his family.

Sarawak Report started exposing more and more documents about 1MDB and the missing billions. The 1MDB reporting was all very complicated and convoluted, because the paper trails were hard to follow. But then The Wall Street Journal published an article that everyone could understand. A sum of US$700 million (RM2.6 billion) had allegedly ended up in Najib’s personal bank account, and for weeks he could not explain how it got there.

And then, just like magic, most of that money allegedly went overseas again - but no one knows where, and Najib isn’t talking. Everyone could understand that story - you don’t need an MBA in international finance. Then New York Times reported that Najib and his family were under investigation by the Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI) under the Kleptocracy Asset Recovery Initiative. What a name!

As for human rights and democracy, Najib’s crackdown on the opposition has been reported widely in the Western press. Human Rights Watch recently put out a 151-page report on the “climate of fear” that Najib has created. Unprecedented - 151 pages! Then there was that United Nations group that recently called for Anwar’s release.

Obama is a lawyer. He now understands that the evidence is overwhelming and that Najib is not the man he thought he was. As I have said before, Obama is not the only world leader who believed Najib’s rhetoric of reform. But put it all together, and with all the news this year, it reached the point where Obama finally recognised the reality about both Malaysia and Najib.

Change in stand

Last February we launched the White House petition on ‘We, the People’, which called for making Anwar’s release from prison a priority for US foreign policy. That has now happened.

But that is not thanks to me or the petition, it is thanks to the great investigative reporting in the world press, on Malaysian websites, and on Sarawak Report. Especially, it is thanks to the courage of so many Malaysians who refuse to be intimidated by the heavy hand and threats of Malaysia’s home minister and inspector-general of police (IGP).

I agree totally with what Obama told the civil society leaders whom he just met in Kuala Lumpur on Saturday. America has many interests in Malaysia - and not just the Trans-Pacific Partnership Agreement (TPPA). It includes our longstanding trade and investment ties, military and foreign policy cooperation, and working together on so many issues like refugees, counter-narcotics, counter-terrorism, and the environment. But I am glad that human rights and democracy are once again on the list of our priorities in Malaysia.

I have been critical of Obama’s hands-off stance on human rights in Malaysia over the past few years. But now I have to say thank you. Not only did he discuss these matters with Najib, he is the first president to actually call for Anwar’s release from prison since Anwar was first jailed in 1998. Neither Bill Clinton nor George W Bush ever went that far.

I hope that this more visible and active US effort will continue, but not just to secure Anwar’s freedom. We need to be even more vocal in Malaysia and around the world in addressing human rights, political freedom, and religious and racial discrimination. Free and fair elections are essential to change. Corruption, the abuse of the legal system, and special treatment for government-linked companies (GLCs) hurt American companies trying to do business in Malaysia as much as it hurts Malaysian companies.

America needs to stand clearly on the side of those Malaysians who are seeking the changes that will lead to a brighter future for Malaysia. The current trajectory - with more and more Malaysians themselves starting to refer to their own country as a “failed” or “failing” state - should be of concern to everyone, and not just Malaysians.

This needs to be a coordinated international effort, working with the UN, human rights NGOs, and like-minded governments from around the world. It should not be just America alone, for the reasons that Obama described in his talk at Taylor’s University to the young Southeast Asian leaders. America should not be seen as the “nanny state”, lecturing others and ignoring its own shortcomings.

Malaysia, Najib, and the ruling party need the international equivalent of a “family intervention”, sort of a “Friends of Malaysia” grouping, where out of concern and love you try to break through the pattern of denial and help the person - or in this case, the country - get the “treatment” it needs before it destroys itself.

Finally, I am confident that there will always be courageous Malaysians who will continue to struggle for true democracy and political freedom, against the growing authoritarianism in their country. I hope their numbers will grow. For in the end, while the outside world can be supportive, only the Malaysian people can bring change.

As Obama said many times, “Change will not come if we wait for some other person or some other time. We are the ones we've been waiting for. We are the change that we seek.”

JOHN MALOTT is a former US ambassador to Malaysia.

http://m.malaysiakini.com/news/320595