John Fong
“There is no point in being trustworthy if you’re dull, and if people are going to turn off and not listen to you, there’s no point in communicating.”
Professor David Spiegelhalter from the Centre for Mathematical Sciences, Cambridge University, made this observation during one of Astro Awani’s Consider This interviews.
Before going further, I would like to thank and credit my team at Astro Awani and Melisa Idris for hosting the interview.
I find Prof Spiegelhalter statement peculiar, yet I can only silently agree with him. It reflects what I have observed over the past few years, or even the past decade, in the way civil society in Malaysia has been acting.
The third force question
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When the idea of a ‘third force’ in politics began to surface, I immediately thought about the role civil society could play in filling that space. There is no better group to lead such a movement.
I simply cannot agree with the idea of retired or former politicians being brought back to helm and guide us into a so-called new era of politics, regardless of who encourages them.
It all sounds so familiar. This feels like old wine in a new bottle.
We might see some progress in the early years of such a third force, but eventually we risk sliding back into the same old politics centred on ethnicity, religion and patronage relationships.
Why civil society matters
I believe civil society is the real third force, not personality-driven politicians.
My belief comes from my faith in the collective strength of civil society – people from all walks of life who share the idea that we can be better together.
Politicians, by nature, must often put themselves first before the public. The collective only comes later, expressed through ballots.
Civil society, however, operates differently. Its strength lies in shared purpose rather than individual ambition.
Returning to Prof Spiegelhalter’s statement: I think civil society has not been engaging enough, and as a result, trustworthiness has eroded.
Many of us hope younger people will join civil society and contribute.
But we must first ask ourselves some hard questions. Are we engaging enough? What can we offer the youth? Most importantly, what is our plan and our main goal in setting up civil society groups in the first place?
These criteria need to be clarified if we want to rebuild trust and become more engaging. Only then can we attract the younger generation.
The way forward
I do not have clear answers to these questions.
However, one thing I strongly believe in is the collective mind of civil society.
It is time for a grand coalition and formal working relationships among relevant NGOs and civil society groups.
Most importantly, there must be a political party that is truly committed to the cause, such as the socialist party PSM, to act as a genuine third force.
As PSM chairperson Dr Jeyakumar Devaraj once said in an informal chat group, “We would need two electoral cycles to build up a true reformasi movement and maybe a viable third force.”
Two electoral cycles may still not be enough. Perhaps three or four would be more realistic.
Politicians often live beyond the average mortality rate, perhaps because they usually have access to premium healthcare.
That said, Jeyakumar is right in saying that building a movement and a third force requires significant time and effort.
Hopefully, civil society groups can take up and carry forward Jeyakumar’s vision by consolidating their strength and becoming the country’s true third force.
My voting dilemma
I have also contemplated casting a spoilt vote in the next general election due to frustration and disillusionment with the government.
However, I realised that there is currently no momentum behind undi rosak (spoilt votes). With too few voters doing this, no clear message is sent to those in power.
I think it is still best to vote for the lesser evil for now.
Perhaps one day, in the future, I will be able to vote for a viable third force rooted in the civil society movement.
That day is not today, but I hope it may come, possibly through PSM or an equivalent civil society movement such as Aliran, as we approach our 50th anniversary next January.
John Fong
Co-editor, Aliran newsletter
30 January 2026
AGENDA RAKYAT - Lima perkara utama
- Tegakkan maruah serta kualiti kehidupan rakyat
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- Lawan rasuah dan kronisme
