LETTER | The Covid-19 pandemic has shaken the world. It is during these trying times that we should come together as one nation to eradicate if not to manage the pandemic to the best we can.

It is distressing to see people in the millions going through so much distress and uncertainty in their lives. The number of loved ones lost to this infectious disease. The number of people losing jobs and facing financial and economical insecurity, or even ruin.

What are our politicians doing? As some politicians are busy doing their best to help the people and the nation, there are others who are so busy “planning” on remaining in power or gaining power.

Each ministry ought to work on ways to overcome and improve our health system fighting the Covid-19 virus as well as the economy, as the immediate priority, whilst the ministries responsible for other tasks should continue to diligently impose those tasks within their portfolios.

On the health side, the Ministry of Health (MOH) can only succeed if other ministries do their part responsibly. If each ministry makes decisions without consulting MOH and other health experts, our health system will become dysfunctional or even collapse.

Similarly, the respective ministries responsible for our economy should work with other ministries including MOH and health experts to decide how each sector can function. Each sector has different needs. These needs have to be addressed at federal, state or district levels. A blanket rule will not work for all sectors or all parts of the nation. There should be sufficient representation from every sector.

Enforcement officers should be moving around in the city, town or village monitoring and ensuring that people abide by the Standard Operating Procedures (SOPs). They should be ‘people-friendly.

Most importantly these enforcement officers should gently advise and guide the rakyat to adhere to the SOPs. Issuance of compound notices should be the last resort. People should be educated to be socially responsible.

In order to emerge out of this disaster, every individual ought to be responsible for doing what is necessary, important and urgent to bring this nation and its people out of the rut. This includes all politicians with no practice of double standards permitted..

Many people, organizations and governments in the world are struggling to manage the pandemic to the best of their ability; on the other hand there are several individuals or groups who are trying to benefit from it. It can be in the monetary sense, or political or power-based sense These people are really selfish and self-centred.

People in power should respect and abide by the Federal Constitution. They should bear in mind that the taxpayers money that pays their salaries, allowances and perks.

At this very crucial time, each one of us ought to reflect, contemplate, identify and prioritise the needs of our self, our families, our community and our nation.

Self-evaluation is very important. These needs have to be in a positive note, meaning with a righteous and virtuous mode for feeling needs. Some of our politicians should get rid of the hunger for evil and negative needs which they are feeding on daily. When they retire for the night, do they review their actions and reactions for the day. Were these good and positive needs or were they evil or negative ones?

These positive, virtuous and righteous needs can only be achieved when our mind, body and soul is synergized in a holistic manner.

Some of us lack the basics of positive qualities. One major quality is respect . We find it so difficult to respect people, respect people’s religious beliefs and respect the environment.

The word ‘tolerance” has become a common word amongst us to justify our lack of respect. Tolerance borders on disrespect.

Tolerance is also a positive quality but is to be used appropriately. We should not be ‘tolerating religious or racial/ethnic beliefs, tolerating the damage being done to our environment and so on.’

Each one of us ought to embrace the quality ‘respect’ in our mind and soul in order to have it displayed naturally towards the people and the environment.

When we do something, say something, implement, enforce or execute something, we should analyze it first before even presenting or tabling it. Just ask yourself one question - ”Which category does it come under?” Is it destructive or constructive to someone or to the rakyat or to the nation? Only apply it if it is constructive.

As a politician, these persons represent the well-being of the people and the nation. What started as a noble sacrifice for a politician when we obtained independence has gradually turned out to be an “I, Me & Myself” attitude.

The one and only way for Malaysia to be a developed and progressive country to be admired by the rest of the world is for the rakyat to collectively bring forward positive changes.

We should move away from a ‘tunnel vision’ of viewing each other with envy, scepticism or even threat. A paradigm shift in attitude and vision is needed here.

We should work towards selecting good leaders to bring Malaysia to its high levels. We desperately need good governance which includes accountability, transparency and honesty.

All the politicians can and should look within themselves to make an assessment of themselves on the above-mentioned qualities. See what the score is. If it is below par, then either raise the level or quit the position.

We should build this beautiful nation towards ‘Malaysianising’ it.

Let us take our last breath feeling that we have been instrumental in contributing to the ‘rakyat’ (people) and the nation. This can only be achieved by sharing peace and building this nation into a progressive one. This is the only legacy our politicians can leave behind for the current and future generations.

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