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With Malaysia’s 15th election just around the corner, most politicians have begun making various promises to lure voters. As a first-time voter, I don’t know what exactly I want from them because those who make promises are also the ones who disappoint us from the very beginning. But, I do know what I do not want in my country. 1) I do not want politicians to use God’s name to invoke fear and hatred among Malaysians, not to mention that they often use the name of God to justify their selfish agendas. Being in union with God is meant to transcend the personal ego, not strengthen it, let alone impose what they think is right onto others just to prove what they believe and do is right. 2) I do not want politicians to be fixated on religious taboos as though people in this modern time lack the rationality to do what is appropriate on any given occasion. Blindly restraining people from doing what is religiously inappropriate is in no way helpful in inculcating the nation with morality and virtues. Instead, they should focus on formulating an efficient educational model so that people know the importance of maintaining good social order from the core of their souls. The obsession with keeping virtues on the surface level is only a sign that you lack basic knowledge of human psychology. 3) I do not want politicians to point fingers at their rivals with slanderous claims and disinformation. It is no use to keep criticizing others when all you want is to protect your party from being criticized. The unhealthy loop will never end if politicians do not involve themselves in what I would call a “policy contest.” Counter your rival by providing a better solution to solve the country’s problems. Modern society requires effective solutions, not more problems and salivas. 4) I do not want politicians to say anything they like only to gain support and to cleverly create a false impression that they are actually serving the people regardless of race and religion. Be thoroughly consistent in your policies no matter on what occasion you announce them. If you are biased towards one particular stand, please be biased from the beginning so that we can vote you out. It is simply contradictory to see you claim to be the father of all when in fact, all you do is favor your one child over the other. 5) I do not want our education system still be burdened by the 70s, 80s, and 90s mindset. With the world’s technological progress going at an unfathomable speed, I do not want our future educational system stuck with a model that provides no competitive prospects to our future generation. The entire structure of the system should be rooted on the basis of equipping everyone with enough resources to thrive and excel in society. This can only be done when the priority of instilling nationalism is balanced with a sense of flexibility and open-mindedness, and of course, the realization that things will only go well if they are not blindly done in the old ways. 6) I do not want our future generation to be let down by the fact that our society does not reciprocate in the way they anticipate. They study hard to chase their dreams, only to realize they cannot even get the pay that matches their skill sets and be respected in their hard-earned profession. I do not want them to be filled with the terror that they can’t continue to live their lives to the fullest, and I certainly do not want them to regard life as just consisting of a series of trivialities that only concern survival. People, especially youngsters, do not let the future of your country be decided by the same old people with mindsets for which the word “antique” is still too reserved to describe. Please use your right granted by the law to dispel the old and invite the new. The word “reformasi” should not be an empty slogan shouted in the ceramah; it should be the spirit of all who wish for a better Malaysia.

It is no surprise that our parliament was dissolved yesterday. With the increasing internal pressure, our prime minister had no choice but to follow his party’s stern demand. Unlike any other election, this election marks the new beginning of our democratic system as the youths are eligible to cast their vote, and maybe, with hopes held in heart, they might be able to shift the entire political dynamic. In conjunction with the upcoming election, I would like to point out some points that I think are very important and crucial because, to me personally, an irrational vote is nothing but an outcome of rhetorical manipulation. 1) I would like to point out that partial unity is an utter fantasy, fabricated by those who indulge in racial supremacy and their narrowed self-narrative. Unity exists beyond labels, colors, religions, and social statuses. There is nothing happier than living in a diverse society where we can effortlessly enjoy the richness of different cultures. Those who claim that prosperity in the country can only be achieved through uniting one race are undoubtedly clueless as to what makes the country unique; all they want is to stand up high in their egotistical dreams and invite people to join their “cause.” Unity is about all people in the country; it is no unity at all if some people are left out simply because they are believing in something else. Mark my word. 2) Secondly, who we vote for is no doubt a reflection of our mindset. If we expect improvements in the country, we should at least choose those who show the willingness to change and possess the utmost important quality in the entire universe-humility. Due to the nature of the political system in our country, genuine reformists might find it hard to transform the country all by themselves as they need to depend on the hierarchy of their party for their political survival (I know, it’s a harsh reality). However, remember that they may not bring instant changes to our lives, but choosing them indicates that we long for the potentialities of change. With that being done collectively, politicians will have no choice but to leave their old baggage behind and start anew if they want our ballots. On the contrary, if we vote because someone gives us some goodie bags and cash, it only shows that we lack the vision and space for improvements within and without ourselves. 3) Thirdly, opposing for the sake of opposing is irrational, and we can all do better than that. A thing opposed by a large group of people does not necessarily mean that it is objectively flawed; yes, of course, there must be a reason why it keeps receiving criticism and despises; however, the existence of opposing voices among the hate groups can be because they are all being led intentionally to a very deliberate direction, orchestrated by people who demand blind conformity, and of course, their ballots. Remember, opposing itself is not noble; it is only noble when one fights for what is right, given that the sense of what is right is not spoon-fed by those who habitually twist facts for their political survival. 4) For a country to prosper, it must at least attempt to go beyond in its every endeavor. Change is good when we do not get trapped in our narratives. As I can observe, most of our politicians are simply “changing” to deepen their unforgiving ideologies; consequently, it is the people who suffer from the repercussions of their reluctance to change. In our country, the process of reformation has a long history. At that particular historical moment, people truly fell for it; they even had a glimpse of hope that their country could change for the better without racial discrimination and is free from everything our country is now suffering from. However, at present, the slogan of change seems nothing but a means to achieve political agendas; the advocates have achieved what they want by exploiting our longings for change. It is time to reevaluate the word “change,” There will not be changes if people who advocate for change in the first place are pointing their fingers at others whenever their shortcomings are exposed. We all have to learn the bitter lesson from the last election when the so-called reformation led us to nowhere at all; in fact, it was simply a change of faces with the same old beliefs about how to run a country. 5) It is time to let go of the old and instill the blood of the new. Unfortunately, the senior politicians in the country have their outdated ideologies deeply ingrained in their personalities, and they seem reluctant to change according to the pace of society. They use rhetoric to invoke fear among the voters. There is only one point being constantly delivered by their thousands of speeches- “choose my party and me; it is only us who can run the country.” Ironically, voters nowadays (except some) do not buy into their baseless speeches; the more they say they are capable of running the country, the larger the hole they will eventually find themselves in. Because the facts have spoken for us, they are among the lousiest people in the government. I wonder what they will become when they are out of their comfort zone and step into a world that demands actual capabilities. 6) Be a mentally independent voter, vote for the one that genuinely reflects your will to change for the better. Keep yourself away from baseless speeches, and avoid temporary dopamine spikes by listening to seemingly charismatic figures. Vote because you want changes in your country, do not vote if you are merely being persuaded to do so (but please vote, I just want us all to be rational.)