The Keluarga Malaysia concept rallies the people to work together – regardless of race, religion and culture – in the spirit of shared nationhood.
THE recent decisive victory of Barisan Nasional at the Melaka state elections, where the coalition won 21 out of 28 seats contested, is an endorsement of the Keluarga Malaysia or Malaysian Family concept introduced by Prime Minister Datuk Seri Ismail Sabri Yaakob.
This rallying call for everyone to work together – regardless of race, religion and culture – in the spirit of shared nationhood, clearly struck a chord with voters who wanted political stability and economic progress after the challenging events of the past few years.
“This is the spirit of where we are all heading to the same destination – rebuilding Malaysia after going through the challenging pandemic,” said the prime minister on his official Facebook page. The multiracial slate of candidates fielded by BN – from Umno, MCA and MIC – exemplified this family approach to politics.
A key aspect of Keluarga Malaysia is the lowering of the national political temperature and the creation of more inclusive political values.
For one, Ismail Sabri was able to maintain harmony between both Perikatan Nasional and BN in the government. He also took the bold move to reach across the political divide soon after he became prime minister.
This then resulted in an MoU between the ruling federal coalition and opposition Pakatan Harapan, where both sides agreed on some important political reforms, such as mutual consultations on the national budget.
The most crucial reform is to pass laws to curb party hopping, something which has shaken people’s faith in our democracy.
The new Melaka state government will soon implement this, to fulfil its election manifesto promise and to ensure political stability in the state. After all, people want a stable government that can bring progress, rather than constant political bickering and changes of leadership.
Another reform to encourage political stability and harmony in the spirit of Keluarga Malaysia is the Melaka BN election manifesto promise of equal state funds for all state assemblymen, regardless of party.
This has already been implemented in Perak (and Johor more recently), leading Sultan Nazrin Muizzuddin Shah to praise it as a better, more mature political culture that will help the state and the people because it encourages a less confrontational, more mutually respectful atmosphere.
BN’s election motto Kestabilan Demi Kemakmuran (Stability for Prosperity) and the Federal Government’s promises of development, including 990 projects worth RM13.8bil in Melaka under the 12th Malaysia Plan (12MP), are factors that appeal to people in challenging economic times.
On a national scale, under the 12MP, the government has allocated RM400bil for development projects (compared to RM248.5bil under 11MP) to rejuvenate the country’s economy which has been battered by Covid-19 lockdowns. Other promises include the building of 500,000 affordable homes.
Budget 2022 reflects the fostering of an inclusive Malaysian Family based on the values of love, caring and empathy.
The Education Ministry will receive the highest allocation amounting to RM52.6bil. This includes RM400mil for a supplementary meal plan to ensure poorer students get adequate daily nutrition.
Other budget initiatives to help the people include RM11.4bil allocated for bumiputra empowerment, and JaminKerja which aims to create 600,000 job opportunities with RM4.8bil of funding.
On Oct 23, Ismail Sabri underlined that Keluarga Malaysia is not “just rhetoric”, but backed up with solid finances, just as we would help family members who are less fortunate.
Thus the B40 and M40 groups affected by the Covid-19 pandemic will be given focus in government aid, as will less developed states such as Sabah, Kelantan, Terengganu, Kedah, Perlis and Sarawak, he added.
In fact, at least 50% of the entire expenditure for basic development under 12MP will be distributed to these six states, while Budget 2022 has allocated Bantuan Keluarga Malaysia aid worth RM8.2bil to benefit 9.6 million people.
“The plurality that we celebrate today will become the seed that will grow in the heart of every Malaysian,” said Ismail Sabri during the official launch of Keluarga Malaysia on Oct 8.
“This must be an asset that we defend. Therefore, the values of Keluarga Malaysia will be important to determine the rise and fall of this fortunate land.”
