LETTER | Sultan Nazrin Shah of Perak has reminded Muslims not to give their trust or hand over responsibilities to those with evil and hypocritical image, low morality, tainted by corruption and abuse of power, as well as untrustworthy and insincere.

This back-door government has lived up to this truth by their proclamation of emergency without consent from the Dewan Rakyat. Is this how democracy works?

All the negative qualities that the Sultan of Perak enumerates can apply to all Malaysians now wielding executive power. When Members of Parliament breached their oath to upholding the Federal Constitution and their commitment to their constituents at the last general election, then such representatives had crossed the line and become untrustworthy.

They will manipulate and do all that is beneficial in their self-interest to remain in power even at the expense of the people’s wellbeing. What irritates the public at large is that these leaders think that, we the people, are as stupid as them not to discern their bad motives. No transparency or accountability to the will of the people.

The level of religiosity evident today sadly trumps the lack of personal character in the leadership as a whole. If you want to see "towering Malaysians", visit them at NGOs and civil society organisations who are spearheading human causes for justice and human rights.

My respected Malay colleague from the Inter-faith fellowship shared this hadith with me: The Prophet (PBUH) asked his companions,"Do you know what is better than prayer and fasting?'

The companions replied only Allah and his Prophet knows. The Prophet replied that it is in having good character. The Prophet (PUBH) then asked his companions, “Do you know what is better than fasting and good character?”

The companions replied only Allah and his Prophet knows. The Prophet (PUBH) said, “It is to be a peacemaker between people because it is bad feelings between people that will destroy humanity”.

How many in our present leadership are living up to this standard instead of espousing racism?

Is it any surprise to see where we are now heading as a nation?

Sheer ambition and push - all to achieve personal goals for which one is not even competent at discharging.

Would you describe all those who, by their silence and acts of commission, were complicit in establishing this back-door government as individuals of great character? Can such people be trusted? All the descriptions used by Sultan Nazrin fit well with many who currently helm the politics of our nation. The issue here is not race but character.

Power has the capacity to corrupt anyone and the only antidote remains the virtues of good character. Whether you are a lower-level leader or even royalty, the challenges are the same.

We have politicians now who have been holding power for up to three decades. Many are corrupted in more ways than one and they have in turn corrupted our institutions and regulatory bodies.

Our politicians over the last three decades have shown the way and many have made so much money for themselves that others down the line have rationalised this as "rezeki" for themselves. Many got themselves onto this gravy train - from religious leaders to people at all levels.

A child born in 1970 would now be 50 years old and, if he or she were the child of a fisherman, or whose parents worked in the unorganised sectors of our economy, one wonders what his or her economic position will be today.

Let us compare this to our current politicians in power. After 50 years of the New Economic Policy (NEP) and its various incarnations, and with public bodies like Mara, UITM, Felda, Felcra, why are the Malays and Bumiputeras still where they are?

Where has all the money gone that was disbursed under the NEP?

Who is responsible for this state of the nation? When will these people wake up before they even destroy the democratic fabric of this nation and make it a banana republic? The time has come when we have to save the Malays from these elite corrupt Malays. The problems are not out there but in themselves.

The Malay establishment elite has exploited the NEP to serve its own interests rather than the interests of the ordinary Malays and the Bumiputeras in general.

Some of our premier companies like MAS have been "raped" by special contracts given to cronies. Look at the wealth of those who have been in politics for up to three decades and you can evaluate how much these so-called representatives of the people have amassed for themselves and their families.

With all the special benefits and quotas, it is the elites who have amassed money at the expense of ordinary Malays.

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