Just because you do not agree with what the leader of the nation does, his policies, actions and laws, that does not mean you are being disloyal to the nation, writes WH Cheng.
What is meant by loyalty to the nation and loyalty to the leader? Are they similar? No, they are different.
Loyalty to the nation means persons or citizens who demonstrate their loyalty first and foremost to the nation, its foundation and the Federal Constitution.
The nation means everything to the person or citizen as his or her place of birth, where the growth and development of one’s self has taken place, where one has been residing and working, as well as the place where one depends on in every aspect.
To demonstrate one’s loyalty to the nation means to ensure its foundation and Federal Constitution is preserved and to prevent the nation from destruction.
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Loyalty to the leaders refers to one’s loyalty towards a person with a leadership position or someone who has power or who rules over the nation.
In many circumstances, the leader or the person who is in power can be good and bad, can be caring to the people and can also be selfish and self-interested without any regard for the people and the entire nation.
In many circumstances, many are confused or are being confused by certain self-interested parties that stress both loyalty to the leader and loyalty to the nation are the same, and being short of either one means a kind of treason or betrayal as a whole.
Actually, both definitions of loyalty are totally different. On many occasions, a leader’s actions could lead to the destruction of the whole nation due to his incompetence, selfishness, self-interest, abuses while in power.
The people, out of loyalty to the nation, should rise by all democratic means to oppose such corrupt leaders who are destructive to the nation.
The people’s loyalty to the nation is demonstrated in the way of opposition against a corrupt and abusive leader, his policies, draconian laws and actions against the people.
A leader and the nation
In times of political and economic turmoil, when racial and religious tensions are on the rise, the people must carefully observe and analyse the situation to differentiate between right and wrong, the truth and falsehood, the leader and the nation.
They should not be so emotional over racial and religious politics being stirred up in order to see the difference between loyalty to the nation and loyalty to the leader.
As you all can observe today, certain quarters are trying to confuse the entire population by claiming that disloyalty to the leader could be regarded as treason and betrayal of the nation. This is totally wrong.
Just because you do not agree with what the leader of the nation does, his policies, actions and laws, that does not mean you are being disloyal to or had committed treason against the nation. It just simply does not make any sense at all.
We must remember the nation, the government and the leaders are not one entity. These entities are not a three-in-one coffee mix.
If your loyalty to the nation requires that you need to go against the government and the corrupt leader, then it is your utmost responsibility to do so to safeguard the nation, its foundation and the Federal Constitution.
The leader of the nation and his government are elected by the people, and he is charged with the responsibilities of governing our nation and leading our people in accordance with the Federal Constitution and the will of our people.
The nation’s constitution is the bedrock, the solid foundation upon which this nation is built.
The lesson that can be learned by all Malaysians can be found in theses words of wisdom from Mark Twain:
“Loyalty to the nation always, loyalty to the leader or government, when it deserves it”.
Source: Berita Daily
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