LETTER | A need to change the parameters of our national discourse

LETTER | Extreme and toxic narratives seem to be winning in this country.

Elections are fought based on who can make outlandish accusations or tell the biggest lies.

Frankly, fighting your opponents who use race and religion to the hilt is quite a hopeless situation. It is an unlevelled playing field to me.

Who is not sentimental about their race, culture, and language?

Who is not firmly attached to their faith?

But racial supremacy and religion are not facts and science. They are merely notions and beliefs.

It is peculiar in Malaysia today.

While some can decree and say anything under the sun based on their religious belief, others who disagree cannot say anything in return.

No-brainer

Doing so would be considered heresy or disrespectful of their god and religion.

But then, who would know the truth when everything said is not based on facts and science but on faith and belief?

It is a no-brainer argument if we bring religion into politics - what I assert is from god, what you counter is anti-god.

Rukun Negara said this is a nation that believes in god. Hence, those disagreeing with people using religion in politics cannot win, no matter how they argue. There is no end to arguments based on belief and conjecture.

It is easy to win an argument when what is asserted cannot be proven or verified. For example, going to heaven or hell is just a faith-based belief. But when someone states it as a fact that cannot be challenged, I think there are no further grounds to debate.

A belief becomes a fact if it is constantly reinforced and disseminated widely, mainly to the young with passionate minds.

I think Malaysia needs to change the parameters of its national discourse.

Inconsequential things

Politicians should be barred from discussing things that cannot be proven or verified.

They should be barred from discussing inconsequential things; instead, the discourse should be on putting food on the table or roof over our heads.

Salvation and the afterlife are personal between ourselves and our creator.

If politicians cannot show competency, honesty, ability, qualifications, and experience in managing complex issues or problems, do not vote for them.

We should not reward people born with the gift of the gap for talking nonsense day and night.

Unfortunately, this is the situation Malaysia is facing today. Too many people treat politicians as comedians and political ceramah as entertainment. The more nonsense they spew, the more the people like them.

I do not know when the people will wake up. Maybe, Malaysians in general are still doing okay. Very few are starving or living on the streets yet.

The views expressed here are those of the author/contributor and do not necessarily represent the views of Malaysiakini.