It is my considered view – formed through decades of observation, engagement, and reflection – that far too many members of our political class are fundamentally self-serving, with integrity too often sacrificed for expediency and gain.
A worrying number of politicians have perfected the art of moral posturing: speaking eloquently about the rakyat, race, religion, and national interest, while quietly enriching themselves, entrenching patronage networks, and hollowing out public institutions.
Politics, for many, has ceased to be a vocation of noble service; it has become a lucrative enterprise.
Against this dispiriting reality, only a small number of leaders in our nation’s history stand out in my esteem – men who, despite their differences in ideology, background, and temperament, shared a rare and unwavering commitment to courage, integrity, and genuine service to the rakyat...