The 14th General Elections on Wednesday, 9th May, 2018 provided a second chance to Malaysia to reset nation-building policies and directions.

Sixty-one years ago, when the country attained Merdeka in 1957, and 55 years ago when Malaysia was formed in 1963, we set out as a young nation, brimming with hope and confidence, dedicated, in the words of the Merdeka Proclamation 1957 and reaffirmed in the Malaysia Proclamation six year later, that the nation “shall be for ever a sovereign democratic and independent State founded upon the principles of liberty and justice and ever seeking the welfare and happiness of its people and the maintenance of a just peace among all nations”.

We promised to ourselves that the nation will be “a beacon of light for a disturbed and distracted world”.

But we lost our way and became instead a black hole of kleptocracy and kakistocracy.

Malaysians must go back to the basics, and what better way to begin than to return to basic constitutional and nation-building documents like the Merdeka Constitution 1957, the Malaysian Agreement and Constitution 1963 and Rukunegara 1970 to fulfil the Malaysian Dream to be a model to the world as to how a nation of diverse races, religions, languages and cultures could be united, harmonious, democratic, progressive and prosperous, with a government of integrity guided by the principles of good governance and accountability.

This is the challenge to all Malaysians today, because it is unlikely that Malaysia will be given a third chance to fulfil the Malaysian Dream.

(Media Statement in Kuala Lumpur on Monday, 14th May 2018)

Today is May 13.

Let us put the dark days of May 13, 1969 forty-nine years firmly behind us and learn the most important lesson of all – the need for perpetual mutual respect, sensitivity, civility and decency among Malaysians even among political foes in our plural society of diverse races, religions, languages and cultures.

Let us not only resolve that our politics should be more decent and civil, minus the lies, fake news and false information so ubiquitous in recent general elections campaign, but such qualities should guide us in every aspect of our national life.

Let us never forget, what whatever our differences, including our political differences, we are first and foremost Malaysians singing a common national anthem of Negaraku.

The 14th General Election has given Malaysians a second opportunity to re-set nation building policies and directions and to forge a new national reconciliation and unity – whether Pakatan Harapan or non-Pakatan Harapan voters and supporters.

Let us begin a new day for Malaysia.

(Media Statement in Kuala Lumpur on Sunday, May 13, 2018)