"One or Two Can Make A Difference."
Politics in Malaysia this week has gripped the nation, with the outcome prompting a national outcry at the formation of a backdoor government: http://chng.it/MpKFfg52
The undertones of the national conversation has been filled with power struggles, racial tension and kleptocracy on our online newsfeeds.
Civil service is mandated to place public interest first above their own. How are our leaders leveraging social media to deliver their message to the people, in their duty of care to prioritize the rakyat?
When Muhyiddin won the King’s mandate to be the Prime Minister, the first message to the public from his social media was to congratulate himself.
Where are the demonstrable values of leadership that put people first?
In a sea of overwhelmingly male voices in our government covered by mainstream media, a few notable female leaders have bravely stood up for the interests of the people:
Michelle Ng, State Assemblywoman for N.31 Subang Jaya states:
“I stand by and will continue to honour the mandate of the people who voted in a Pakatan Harapan Government on the 9th of May. I condemn and reject all attempts at a backdoor government. To those who betrayed the people, shame on you, we know who you are. Remember - In his heart a man plans his course, but the Lord determines his steps.
As for me and my team, we will continue to serve the people of Subang Jaya as we have been doing daily regardless of the government in power. I will not be cancelling any meetings or appointments made prior. The people needs us to be with them - now, more than ever.”
Hannah Yeoh, Deputy Minister of Women, Family and Community Development
and Member of Parliament for P117 Segambut states:
Since being appointed the Deputy Minister of Women, Family and Community Development, I have gone to work everyday as though 24 hours is all we've got to reform the system and improve policies in Putrajaya. My staff will tell you the number of times I reminded everyone to give it our all because we will have to give an account to the people with the power and time we have. Hence we work tirelessly even on weekends in Segambut because we do not take for granted the mandate given by the people.
When I finish my day, there's no head space to plot/scheme in secret or to post unnecessary social media posts to stir the transition (people like this exist in every party). I wouldn't do it even if I had the time. Why? Because we are limited by law, by time, by politics but the Almighty isn't. Clean hands and clean hearts matter. The people matter. Also, we may not live long enough to see the effect of our decisions today but our children and grandchildren will. I want to be able to walk on the streets, in malls and the morning market with my head up high. …
Yesterday was a long day of watching the news. This familiar feeling I went through once when I was Speaker of the Selangor State Legislative Assembly - when you look around trying to discern friends from foes. You must take comfort in knowing back then, 2 assemblymen stood their ground and honored the mandate given by the people and saved the state government. Sometimes one or two can make a difference.
So for those who pray, go on your knees and intercede for our King, our Prime Minister and for our Members of Parliament that they will continue to do the right thing for Malaysia.
Beyond the political infighting and the exception of a few good leaders, are the rest of our leaders even equipped to deal with the global and technological challenges that are already disrupting our social fabric, for better or worse, from our communities, families to every average Malaysian who owns a smart phone?
According to psychology authors Crystal Lim-Lange and Dr. Greg Lim-Lange, the “super skills” required to flourish in the 4th Industrial Revolution (whether in the public or private sector) are:
Focus
Self-Awareness
Empathy
Complex Communication
Adaptive Resilience
How Do We Get There?
Upskilling an empathetic, people-oriented society begins in the family unit, which effects then ripple out to the community, towns, cities and nation at large. Nation building begins in the home. Conscious leaders that rise up from loving homes will inspire others to do the same. This is how, we as citizens and communities, can help support growth, skilled leadership and innovation in Malaysia and realize the greatest potential of all Malaysians.
Goals:
1) Provide mental health education for Malaysian families, to educate parents and children on psychological resilience, empathy, self-awareness, communication skills and social cohesion, through government-supported mental health policies
A people-centric government begins with parents teaching future politicians the right values. We need stronger mental health policies in place as preventative wellness measures, in order to prevent more divorces, more broken families; more toxic work and politically charged cultures caused by emotional reactivity, cognitive distortions and psychologically unsafe homes. Your children and the future generations will thank you for prioritizing their mental health and holistic well-being.
Here are some examples of what other governments are doing around the world:
The Tongan government has developed its first-ever National Mental Health Policy and tripled its mental health budget;
The New Zealand government has announced it will spend a record NZ$1.9 billion on improving mental health in the next five years with its first wellbeing budget;
The Nigerian government has banned the dangerous Sniper pesticide, which was involved in the majority of suicides in the country in recent years.
2) Create a new development paradigm to measuring a nation’s worth
We need to revise the way we measure a nation's worth, so we stop operating from scarcity mindsets to power grab. The agenda of race and inequality is so 1960s. Just look to Martin Luther King Jr and AOC as examples on how to overcome it. Let's take the best practices of the happiest, most inclusive societies and implement it in our home ground.
Let's think of a new development paradigm in how we approach nation building. In his comprehensive essay “The Pursuit of Happiness: A New Development Paradigm”, David Korten writes:
"In the worldview of the emerging New Development Paradigm, life is the measure of value and the purpose of the economy and business is to maintain and enhance the health, vitality, resilience, and creative potential of people and nature—including strengthening relationships of caring, cooperation, and sense of attachment to nature and communities of place. Economic performance is evaluated against indicators of the health and well-being of people, nature, and living communities. Policy options are assessed accordingly. Financial systems are valued only for their contribution to maintaining and balancing accounts in market transactions in support of the economy’s true purpose of maintaining and enhancing living system health and well-being."
Rather than focusing on traditional GDP measures like economic growth, our national budget needs to be structured by what best encourages the well-being our people. Government priorities need to include: improving mental health, thriving in a digital age, and transitioning to a low-emission, sustainable economy. The UN General Assembly, in resolution 65/309 entitled “Happiness: towards a holistic approach to development”, states the pursuit of happiness was a fundamental human goal, recognized that the gross domestic product (GDP) indicator does not adequately reflect the happiness and well-being of people.
In a follow up high level meeting hosted by the Royal Government of Bhutan, the country that utilizes the Gross National Happiness Index to measure the well-being of its people, came up with the following findings with global thought leaders:
Gross National Product (GNP) by itself does not promote happiness.
Life evaluation depends on many things, including: satisfaction of basic needs; employment and income; strength of one’s social support network; trustworthiness of government; access to health care including for mental illnesses; having altruistic and compassionate values.
Social support and good mental health are more important than income.
Happiness is not only a state of mind and a trait, but also a skill. Happiness is an art of living and can be taught, learned and transmitted.
The benefits to happiness include higher productivity, faster recovery from illness and lower mortality, more peace and more compassion.
Governments can do much to promote happiness, including achieving the Millennium Development Goals (MDGs) and meeting all basic needs; measuring happiness; promoting active labour market policies; promoting mental health; promoting compassion, altruism, and honesty; resisting hyper-commercialism (e.g. through limits on advertising); resisting corruption; creating institutions such as Bhutan’s Gross National Happiness Commission.
As Hannah Yeoh said, “It only takes one or two to make a difference.” Even a little country like Bhutan.
Hunter Lovins, the President and Founder of Natural Capitalism Solutions (NCS), echoed Hannah’s views by sharing a story often told by the late environmental activist Wangari Maathai: a forest fire erupts and animals flee, all except the hummingbird, who returns over and over bringing drops of water in her beak. When the other animals mock her, the hummingbird simply answers, “I am doing the best that I can.”
May all the hummingbirds rise. God bless Malaysia.