
Many Malaysians feel there is much that needs improvement in Malaysia, from its politics to the economy to education and matters of governance.
For instance, every year, the auditor-general reports on numerous cases of misuse or abuse of public money in procurement procedures and project implementation.
Ever so frequently, the Malaysian Anti-Corruption Commission reports arresting someone or other for corruption. Malaysians feel that corruption is systemic, especially in the civil service.
And routinely we have some politician or other, in championing his race or religion, uttering words or acting in a manner that harms harmony, or incites distrust and anger, or causes fear.
The words or actions of such people only serve to widen the racial and religious divide in the nation. And often, they don’t talk sense or their arguments are devoid of proper reasoning.
They tend to be emotional. They think that if they get cut, they bleed but if other’s get cut, they don’t bleed. And they often demonstrate arrogance.
They don’t debate, they quarrel; they don’t care to discuss, they pose for a fight.
I can go on, but I’m sure you get my drift.
What is lacking in all these instances, and in the nation, I feel, is clarity of thought.
If these people, including the so-called leaders, were to think more clearly, they would not indulge in actions that reveal their lack of thinking skills or their temperament or their bias or their sheer lack of intelligence.
Unfortunately, not all politicians or religious leaders are known for clarity of thought. We used to have quite a number of them in the past but over the years, their number has been dwindling.
Let’s look at graft: If the givers and the takers had clarity of thought, they would realise the damage this would cause the nation – and their descendants too – over the years.
No government, no society that is corrupt can survive for long.
Let’s look at misuse or careless use of public money by those in authority: If civil servants and political leaders handling funds were to think clearly, they would realise that leakages or misuse of funds inevitably harm all citizens.
They may gain some money, say by helping someone get a contract. But that contractor may not be the best qualified and his or her work could cause problems down the line.
By having the attitude that “it is after all not my money but government money,” they fail to realise that there is no such thing as government money. It is tax-payer money, their own money; it is the hard-earned money of their family members, relatives, friends and other tax-paying Malaysians.
In education, I’m amazed that each successive government does not realise that clear thinking means giving every Malaysian student equal opportunity.
Every year, we go through the same pain: some top scoring students are denied places in public universities because of race quotas.
Education is definitely one area where race or religion should not matter. Only citizenship should matter. Again, clarity in thought would tell us this is so.
Talking about clarity, that is the message of Deepavali.
Deepavali means “row of lights” and light is the central theme of the celebration.
Light drives away darkness; light brings clarity.
In lighting the oil lamps, the celebrant is reminded to not just bring light to his life but to also bring light to all life.
The celebrant is reminded of the Upanishadic prayer: Tamaso ma jyotirgamaya (From darkness lead us to light).
One has to not just clean the house and oneself, but also the negative attitudes and biases, and the unwholesome habits, that one has.
Deepavali reminds everyone – both the celebrant and the one who knows about it or sees it – of the need for clarity in everything that they do.
Without clarity of mind, relationships can turn sour; without clarity of mind, policy makers can harm a nation; without clarity of mind misunderstandings can lead to disastrous civil strife or wars
Even in our own life, our success, our progress, our well-being depends on clarity of mind.
We need to conduct our life sensibly, we need to relate with others responsibly, we need to perceive issues intelligently. For that, we need clarity.
On this happy occasion of Deepavali, my plea is for all Malaysians to strive for greater clarity in their lives and shine a light for everyone so that we can all live in joyous amity, sharing in the abundance that nature and this nation provide.
The views expressed are those of the writer and do not reflect those of FMT.