As a student of epistemology, I was most hopeful of the future intellectual growth of Malaysia when top leaders of the country, in advocating the creation of quality human capital under the 9MP, ubiquitously deployed expectant words, triumphal terms, euphonic phrases and, at times, hyperboles, pertaining to human intellectual capacity and quality.

Some such words uttered by the Prime Minister Abdullah Ahmad Badawi, when tabling the 9th Malaysia Plan in Parliament include, 'enhancing competitiveness'; 'better education to improve the stock of human capital'; 'knowledge society'; 'knowledge and skills development'; 'creating thinkers and doers nation'; 'people with character and intellect; first-class mentality'; 'first-class mindset'; 'integrity and strong moral values'; 'building a more upright society'; 'increasing the capacity and mastery of knowledge'; 'enhancing the nation's capabilities in science, research development and innovation'; 'cultured society with strong moral values'; 'upgrading people's intellectual capacity'; 'high quality human capital'; 'appreciation of culture, art and heritage' and 'a progressive and developed civilisation that echoes the glorious age of Islam and other civilizations'.

His deputy Najib Abdul Razak, in seconding the motion on the 9MP, further adds the following terms onto the list: 'thirst for knowledge'; 'innovation and creativity'; 'precision culture'; 'mindset shift; creative mind'; 'agility at work' and 'result and performance oriented'.

I was hopeful because the realisation of the essence which those words and terms hold out would not only make Malaysians creative, innovative and productive in economic terms, but more importantly, would transform them into rational, reflective, scientific, critical, tolerant and intellectually enlightened individuals and citizens, with traits and qualities most crucial in the promotion of values and institutions toward a healthier growth of the country's representative democratic process.

Sadly, however, the recent turn of two events have depressingly dampened such hope. The first pertains to the reluctance of the Barisan MPs to support the motion of the opposition to refer a Barisan MP to the Parliamentary Rights and Privileges Committee over his alleged interference with the work of Malacca Customs Department. The second relates to the decision by a minister in the Home Affairs Ministry to exercise his powers under Section 26 of the Film Censorship Act 2002 to ban the screening of the locally produced movie, 'Lelaki Komunis Terakhir'.

In the first episode, in order to maintain and safeguard our narrow sectarian interest, (party, group or otherwise), it is all right to sacrifice truth and jettison our conscience and rectitude. Instead of providing a leading example to Malaysians to think in creative and critical manner, those involved only helped to entrench in them the herd mentality and the habit of placing unquestioning belief and blind faith upon those with power and authority.

With regard to the second episode, the banning of 'Lelaki Komunis Terakhir', those responsible for making the decision appear obsessed to perpetuate the patronising and paternalistic belief that Malaysians are still in need of a 'mental guardian', that they still require someone else to do the thinking for them as they are 'sensitive' and have not 'reached (the level) where they are ready' to make their own interpretation of, and judgement on, social and historical events.

Such an attitude certainly goes against the very essence of the intellectual spirit and moral quest that the top leaders are attempting to promote among Malaysians.

In my disillusionment, however, I am also left to ponder whether those concerned behaved in the way they did simply because they were too nave to realise the dire consequences of their conduct on the broader national agenda or that they were ignorant of the top leaders' vision.

Regardless of these individuals' subjective mental state, however, it is imperative that the top leaders, if they really want their vision fulfilled, first encourage and persuade those within their ranks to undergo the envisioned mental transformation and intellectual upliftment, less all their (leaders') sound and fury remains but rhetorical flourishes and vacuous sloganeering.