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This week, my contract with the Selangor state government ended with no renewal. This marks the end of a meaningful three-year job - three times longer than any job I’ve had previously. I thought I would take the opportunity to share some parting observations, insights and reflections.

This is the first time since I started writing again for Malaysiakini in 2012 that I am composing an article while not contracted to the state government. In that time, I have written a lot about Selangor and its menteri besar; from now onwards, the consistency and credibility of my views can be put to the test.

I think it’s safe to say that in summary, I still feel that of all the governments in Malaysia, state and federal, I am most impressed with the Selangor government.

I am not familiar enough with the state governments of Penang or Kelantan to make meaningful comparisons, but demographically, Selangor is certainly unique. Its ethnic composition most closely resembles Malaysia’s, and its size and population can make it extremely challenging to govern.

Taking the view that Selangor is the best is not the same as taking the view that Selangor is perfect. I think anyone who has worked a few years in any organisation can produce a list of infinite length containing things they desperately wish they could see changed or improved. I am no different.

On aggregate however, when I think about the major problems that governments in Malaysia face, I think Selangor’s citizens have a lot to be proud of in terms of how their government has risen to the challenge.

Trial by fire

In the context of Malaysian politics, I have often named corruption and (engineered) communalism as the biggest challenges we have faced for decades.

Selangor has seen its fair share of bad guys trying to fan ethnic or religious tensions - the alleged use of churches for proselytisation in Muslim communities, the issue of Malays working in establishments that serve alcohol, and so on.

Selangor’s response may neither have been always as quick or as eloquent as possible, nor completely satisfactory to all parties involved, but I think they have done a consistent job in taking a mature, moderate stance that prioritises rationality and fairness in making policies. In many ways, they have quietly been a model for moderate social policies that carefully navigate the middle ground of some very polarising controversies.

Malaysia is likely a long way off from eliminating the manner in which money oils the wheels of politics, at almost all levels. Certainly, there have been near unceasing attempts by some to use the state government as some sort of cash cow.

I have no concrete evidence one way or the other, but I would not be so naive to believe that every single department in Selangor’s massive government is completely unblemished by the stain of morally questionable practices. Corruption is too much a part of Malaysian political culture for that to be likely to be true.

My personal experience and view has been however, that the people closest to the top of the Selangor government hierarchy are a very far cry away from the type of individuals to whom politics and government are nothing but tools for self-enrichment.

Rather, they fall more squarely into the category of people who take an almost intangible pride in being part of a relatively clean government.

While that pride does not make it much easier to bear the incredible amount of daily frustration that comes with that level of governance, it does seem, at the end of the day, to keep most of those individuals going. It may not be something they talk much about, but I don’t see much other reason why they ultimately put up with the neverending stream of problems they face daily.

The quiet maverick

As is true of many Malaysian political institutions, the culture of the Selangor government is something that is propagated top-down. Working for them has strengthened my resolve to never underestimate the trickle down effect of a leader’s steel will.

The aforementioned concept of less talk and more work is very much the hallmark of Selangor’s Menteri Besar, Khalid Ibrahim. The term ‘duck’ has been used by his opponents, but I think it is a perfect metaphor: the animal that always appears calm above water, while its legs kick furiously underneath it and out of sight.

I do not know a whole lot more about the man than anyone who has access to the Internet. In three years of working for his office, I have - and I mean this absolutely literally - never once had a serious conversation with the man, or even exchanged more than three sentences at a time with him.

I have nevertheless written a great deal about him, and stand by my observations - primarily that he displays some of the most integrity seen in Malaysian political leaders today, and that he is a man motivated pretty much entirely by doing what he believes is right, rather than making any personal profit or furthering personal ambitions.

This is in sharp contrast to the vast majority of others in similar positions of power today. (That said, I am sure many would disagree with some of his views regarding what is right and what is not.)

The rest of what I know about Khalid is largely just unverified hearsay from his staff. I understand that there is no live-in maid in his massive home, and that visitors are served drinks by family. His kids, if I’m not mistaken, drive or drove locally-made cars, and is incredibly obvious how head over heels he is over his one grandson.

Like many successful men, he has a strong, extremely principled and understated wife who seems to play a large role in making sure everything in the family - Khalid included - runs like a tight ship. This apparently does not stop her from personally making sure his shoes always face the right way when he leaves the house, a moment often spent saying a quick prayer together.

The one incredibly disappointing thing I was surprised to learn about Khalid was that if he were American, he would almost certainly be Republican. I suppose no one is perfect.

Jokes aside, no one is likely to call Khalid Ibrahim some sort of Malaysian maverick; however, if you were to look beyond his extremely low profile, and carefully study the ways in which he has set himself apart from so many others, you may be surprised to find how accurate the term may be.

Many of us (‘us’ applying more to normal citizens than people in power, who tend to want a different type of world) would love to see him go further; but many of us have also come to realise the lack of influence we have over the decisions he will make about his future.

I have no doubt that Malaysia would benefit immensely from having more Khalid, but it has become abundantly clear that only Khalid can decide for himself whether he is willing to have more Malaysia. While I understand why a man in his position might prefer retirement to the bloodbath that is politics, I suppose the rest of us continue to live in hope.

Great professionalism

I realise a great deal more can be written, but this is neither time nor place.

A few words about Khalid’s staff, whom I interacted most with.

As mentioned earlier, work anywhere long enough, there’s always things you wish were different. I have no doubt the staff felt the same about me at many points.

On the whole though, I am very proud to have been part of this team. In a country where we no longer bat an eyelid when we see not only gross incompetence but also rampant corruption amongst top government officials, I can say without reservation that from all I could see, these were a group of people who consistently went above and beyond; a group of people who worked hard at doing their job well, and who worked hard at staying clean.

While society is becoming ever more polarised, I was grateful to be able to diversify my social circle with some very warm people. Over the years, I’ve shared a lot of laughter with them, and this I will always treasure.

As for my next steps, I can’t see very far over the horizon. In the short run, a break of some sort from the industry seems very likely in order (one of my biggest joys will be to unfollow some Twitter accounts I no longer have a professional obligation to care about), as well as perhaps some forays into new territories.

Shaking things up once in a while is very important to avoid stagnation. My writing may change a little to reflect different areas of concern, but probably not by much. After all, what are principles, if not values worth staying true to?

In terms of continuing activism - having spent a lot of time thinking over the years about how best we can as a nation make this country a better place, I still believe that by far the most effective way we can collectively reverse Malaysia’s deeply disturbing directions and bring about better horizons is to #RakyatkanPolitik (more on that here  and here.

Time to go figure out the rest of my life. In the meantime, to Selangor: my heartfelt appreciation for everything, so long, and thanks for all the fish!


NATHANIEL TAN is on the lookout for new work opportunities. He tweets @NatAsasi

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