"The Day He Walked Away"
A young Malaysian once asked an old statesman:
"How do we build a better Malaysia? Through stronger leaders or stronger laws?"
The old man smiled and replied:
"Neither. First, we must build better character."
He then pointed to a quote by Lord Acton, who famously said:
"Power tends to corrupt, and absolute power corrupts absolutely."
"For decades," the old man said, "Malaysians have spent too much time searching for powerful politicians. We should have been searching for principled ones."
The young man looked confused.
The old man continued:
"A politician who fights to gain power is common. A politician willing to lose power to protect integrity is rare."
He then showed another quote, often attributed to Abraham Lincoln:
"Nearly all men can stand adversity, but if you want to test a man's character, give him power."
"In Malaysia," he said, "many leaders promise reform before entering office. The real test comes after they obtain power. Do they remain accountable? Do they welcome scrutiny? Do they place justice above loyalty and personal interest?"
The young man thought about the corruption scandals, political defections, abuse of institutions, and endless power struggles that had dominated headlines for years.
The old man then spoke again:
"Malaysian does not need more politicians who ask, 'How long can I stay in power?' Malaysian needs more leaders who ask, 'What is the right thing to do, even if it costs me power?'"
He pointed to the Rukun Negara's principles of the rule of law and good behaviour and morality.
"Imagine a Malaysia," he said, "where young people enter politics not to become rich, famous, or untouchable, but to serve. Imagine leaders who resign when they fail, declare their assets openly, reject corruption, strengthen institutions, and accept criticism without fear."
The young man asked:
"Would such leaders survive in politics?"
The old man smiled.
"Perhaps not always. But they would leave something greater than power "a legacy."
As the sun set, the old man left the young Malaysian with one final thought:
"A nation becomes great not when it produces powerful politicians, but when it produces leaders whose integrity is stronger than their desire for power."
And perhaps that is Malaysia's challenge for the next generation not merely changing governments, parties, or personalities, but cultivating a new culture where character matters more than power, service matters more than status, and justice matters more than political survival.
Because the future of Malaysia will not be determined by the politicians we have today.
It will be determined by the leaders we choose to become tomorrow. 🇲🇾
As Saudara Rafizi Ramli often reminds Malaysians from time to time:
"Judge a leader by his character."
Likewise, judge "Parti Bersama Malaysia" not by its slogans or promises, but by its actions, ideas, and vision for the Malaysia we want to build together over the next 30 years.
Let the party be judged on whether it offers solutions for the future or merely repeats the politics of the past. Ultimately, it is for Malaysians to decide whether to continue addressing 21st-century challenges with 20th-century solutions.
If Parti Bersama Malaysia fails to convince the rakyat, it may disappear within three months, a year, or gradually become irrelevant. Ultimately, voters will decide whether to continue supporting race- and religion-based politics or embrace a different political approach. That is the reality of democracy.
The judgment belongs to the people.
As for us, our responsibility is simply to do our part, remain on the side of integrity, accountability, and justice, and strive to stay there with the guidance of Allah SWT.
The rest is beyond our control and rests upon ketentuan Allah SWT.
"Power is temporary. Character is permanent. In the end, history will judge us not by the positions we held, but by the principles we refused to abandon." 🇲🇾
#BERSAMA
1/5
I'm a cardiologist. I have spent twenty years watching cholesterol destroy arteries, trigger heart attacks, and kill people I care about.
Today, Eli Lilly presented data that may begin to end that era.
VERVE-102. A single infusion. One dose. It uses base editing to permanently turn off the PCSK9 gene in your liver.
Presented today at the European Atherosclerosis Society Congress:
88% reduction in PCSK9.
62% reduction in LDL cholesterol.
Sustained up to 18 months.
No treatment-related serious adverse events.
One infusion. Not daily pills you forget to take. Not monthly injections. One dose — and your cholesterol may stay low for the rest of your life.
My grandfather 彭振鸿 (Peng Zhenhong) sent money to our hometown in Guangdong's Luhe County for fifty years without fail through the Qiaopi network and its post 1949 state-organized successor. Over that time Malaya went from British colonial rule through Japanese Occupation to independent Malaysia. The Republic of China went through Civil War, Japanese invasion, more Civil War and the birth of the People's Republic of China. He was born in the last year of the Qing Dynasty. He was sixteen during the Hailufeng Uprising.
Cromwell overthrew a king, then built a military-backed regime and passed power to his son. The Lord Protectorship was a kingship under a different name.
I wrote for @LiberatedTexts about the 2003 autobiography of Chin Peng, former head of the Communist Party of Malaya, who led anti-colonial resistance against this violent counter-insurgency war waged by the British from 1948–1960: https://t.co/NBuLokLCNU…
My latest article looks at what Rafizi and Nik Nazmi ’s departure from PKR says about a deeper question in Malaysian politics, whether any party can still earn public trust. https://t.co/3FG4PlnzhC
UK officials destroyed files on one of the most brutal post-war conflicts they fought - the forgotten war for rubber in 1950s Malaya.
It was to cover up their crimes - mass bombings, decapitations, lying, forced villageisation👇
https://t.co/kkOfToJYSg
Last year, there was some online drama over the presence of an ustaz, who read a doa at the memorial.
Actually victims of various ethnicity and faiths (including Islam) were buried here. This is why the memorial is a multi-faith affair.
Temu bual saya untuk @msiakini, sudah diterbitkan. Kebebasan akademik ialah ruang mencari kebenaran dengan jujur, walaupun tidak popular dan tidak selesa. Self-censorship bermula apabila kita tertanya, adakah kata-kata hari ini akan dianggap salah esok?
https://t.co/LoHlDzJC2s
May 13 is quiet in Malaysia. That is the problem. Today, I write that May 13 did not end in 1969. The racial riots of that year became more than a national tragedy. They became a way of governing. https://t.co/pVtbe7w5kZ
A great investigative series by Says. They answer FB ads to fast track certification for construction services, to bid for govt projects. W less than <RM5K spent, they could bid for projects like school upgrades etc. 🤯
Reporting by Aliza Shah & team
https://t.co/CyPrQ7hQle
What about Astaka Field, in PJ? Why is it CLOSED to the public? There is a church there, a Gurudwara, an Indian temple, a condominium.
Don't we deserve the same LUXURY?? @rajiv4malaysia@cheanchung@GobindSinghDeo@AmirudinShari
A podcast, a drink with a lawyer, 25 implicated players, an eligibility crisis and the prospect of 133 matches needing to be replayed. A feature on “passportgate” and why a decision from a court in Utrecht on Monday could flip Dutch football on its head.
https://t.co/kJqCrF0IQs