Malaysians entered 2023 with a new government in place yet to complete its first one hundred days.
Notwithstanding something afresh which a new solar year is commonly taken to mark, 2023 begins with so much baggage from yesteryears.
For the past few years, Malaysians at large have been experiencing fast changing political configurations and landscapes, some being quite drastic, while some not totally unexpected.
Yet, as many observers and commentators have claimed, it is almost certain that coalition government in its different modes shall remain to be the political norm in the years to come.
With that in mind, and given the somewhat irresistible impulse in politicians to leave their lasting marks on people’s minds and erase their opponents’ imprints therefrom, among the great ethico-spiritual challenges for any coalition of political parties in forming a formidable government is whether or not to continue with any good policy or initiative of the previous government, and if so, how to go about doing it.
As a matter of fact, such impulse does frequently dog many parties who, despite them helming or governing non-political entities, also act like politicians.
Quite often in the past, such has been a major issue which seems hard to resolve amicably and on numerous occasions, is dealt with unjustly.
And, unfortunately, history from time to time becomes witness of some such good precedence or undertakings eventually fading into oblivion.
In addressing the aforementioned, it is therefore important, especially for Muslims who constitute a large number of Malaysian politicians and government bureaucrats, to imbibe the spirit which is implicit in one of the key terms traditionally employed to refer to the institution of government in Islam, that is, khilafah (caliphate), a term once so popular but now apparently less used, if not ignored or avoided at all.
The term does not simply mean replacement.
Although it originally and primarily connotes the idea of “being-next-in-line,” “heir,” or “successor,” it is indeed significant for us to realise that such an idea cannot fully take place in reality if “what-came-before” is entirely obliterated.
For, a complete annihilation of the antecedent can only mean something totally anew having taken place with no trace whatsoever of what was before!
Whereas, its subtle, inherent meaning indicates something which the successor ought to preserve so as to be rightly regarded as one who truly succeeds.
In other words, for someone to act as a “caliph,” he or she must keep something from the past.
That something, while presumed to be good or beneficial, should at the very least be appropriately incorporated into any current form of the government and be maintained as such.
And this is essentially what tradition is all about.
In fact, that is how tradition comes into being.
The aforementioned can thus be considered to be the first aspect of the caliphate duty.
However, a caliph is expected to not only maintain a tradition but should also ensure its continuity and betterment, which involves the grooming of qualified successors.
Failure to carry out this latter aspect of the caliphate duty shall be tantamount to the ruler’s purposely abandoning or taking lightly his or her responsibility.
Recognition of this double-pronged duty of one who has been given the mandate to govern becomes all the more important when dealing with problems or issues of “perennial” nature.
And, like it or not, there is an abundance of such problems and issues in Malaysia. Take those relating to the governing of a diverse society that is Malaysia, for example.
In that regard, initiatives of previous government(s) relating to the nurturing of harmony and unity among Malaysians should be properly examined without questionable ulterior political motives and, wherever appropriate, be improved and strengthened.
This surely requires good faith coupled with strong political will, not only in the power that be, but also in their adversaries.
Only then could we hope for a better Malaysia, despite all the political differences that have been dividing us thus far.
Can we do that? Let’s put real, substantive meaning into that famous slogan “Malaysia boleh!”