Malaysia Day 2025 was met with the usual call for unity from different leaders, unity being seen as a ‘valuable treasure’ to be passed down to the generations to come.
Yes, unity is crucial in a country as richly diverse as ours.
Yet we have those who would risk rupturing the social fabric and cohesiveness of our society by politicising issues along racial lines. We all know where extreme positions can lead.
Calls for unity from the leaders are fine. However, we must also consider these calls alongside the people’s demands for accountability, transparent governance, and inclusive policies if we are to progress.
The country faces many issues, and now, bullying has emerged as a critical concern.
Bullying in schools
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Many people are united in their stand against bullying in schools and other educational institutions.
The country is watching the case of Zara Qairina Mahathir unfold. As we know, charges have been filed against five suspects (all children) involved in the bullying of Zara. The inquest proceedings into Zara’s death began on 3 September with revelations about what was going on in the school.
Statistics from the Ministry of Education on bullying in schools show that several thousand children faced bullying in recent years, over 70% of them apparently in secondary schools. Such cases are clearly on the rise.
Every so often, a case becomes public, and we are appalled, especially when it results in the death of a person. Many are shocked when the perpetrators are children.
How do we stop bullying and protect our children? Anti-bullying legislation? An anti-bullying policy? An anti-bullying tribunal? The reintroduction of caning in schools? Harsh punishments for bullies?
While we find the bullying situation appalling, we need to think clearly about a way forward and not resort to knee-jerk reactions. Various suggestions have been put forward.
But remember, there is no quick fix in tackling bullying. It will require an evidence-based strategy, commitment from different stakeholders, adequate resources and time.
Bullying elsewhere?
While the spotlight is on stopping bullying in schools, we need to acknowledge bullying also takes place elsewhere in society.
If we accept that bullying is at its core an abuse of power, then all around us we can see examples of one form of bullying or another.
We should also take a good look at how we speak about and treat those from different ethnic groups, religious beliefs and socioeconomic classes. Think about how we view the differently abled, the vulnerable or marginalised – including the stateless, migrant workers and refugees.
Can we really talk about ‘unity’ if this type of bullying persists?
We can also see ‘bullying’ at the global level resulting in genocide and the starvation of people, not just in Gaza but also in other places around the world.
We can all see how hard it is to stop a big bully especially when it has powerful allies. It should make us think about organising, challenging and changing world powers so that bullies can be brought to account.
Unity and protection of rights
If national unity is the goal, then discussions should include the protection of the people’s rights and their wellbeing.
The country cannot be united if there are huge disparities in society. The fight against corruption also becomes part of the discussion on unity.
In the recent parliamentary sitting, we saw a variety of bills being discussed. Some were passed while others were not.
The Gig Workers’ Bill aimed, in theory, to provide better protection for over 1.2 million gig workers in Malaysia. The bill was passed despite some concerns, including the enhanced power of the employer and the lack of access to legal representation for workers in the proposed tribunal.
The Government Procurement Bill aimed to better regulate government procurement processes. Despite the deep concerns over broad ministerial exemption powers and lack of independent oversight, the bill was passed hastily. Groups expressed concern over the credibility of the reform process, as the bill was rushed through within a week, without enough time for public scrutiny and debate.
The proposed Urban Renewal Bill was drafted to facilitate the redevelopment of ageing and dilapidated housing schemes. However, it was deferred to the next parliamentary sitting due to protests from various quarters, including government and opposition MPs. Many expressed concern that the bill in its present form would marginalise certain communities, especially those from lower-income groups, while benefiting developers. Hopefully, redrafting parts of the bill will cover the concerns raised and see the rights of home owners protected and clearly spelt out.
Unity and women
An important part of promoting unity is to eradicate divisions in society, including those caused by gender discrimination.
A report which exposed gaps in justice for women in the family was recently released by SIS Forum (Malaysia). The Telenisa 2024 Report reveals struggles with child maintenance, divorce, custody and domestic violence based on 188 clients served by SIS Forum’s free legal clinic last year.
There is also the issue of women’s political empowerment. Despite making up 47.5% of the country’s population, women remain sidelined in political decision-making. Only 13% of MPs and 12% of state assembly members are women.
Projek Sama has initiated a call to the government to look at gender quotas in parliamentary and state assembly seats amongst other things. Reforms could include party-list proportional representation with gender quotas alongside first-past-the-post (FPTP) seats. Which government – federal or state – will heed this call?
If we believe that both men and women play a role in the country’s development, then both men and women must be part of the decision-making processes. When will we seriously challenge patriarchal beliefs, sexist comments, gender stereotyping and social norms that continue to deny this inclusiveness in national decision-making?
If we truly believe in unity, then in all that we say and do, we must ensure sufficient protection for people’s rights and wellbeing. No one group should be left out or left behind.
Now, that’s a tall order indeed. But it is in this direction that we must strive.
Prema Devaraj
Co-editor, Aliran newsletter
20 September 2025
AGENDA RAKYAT - Lima perkara utama
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