{
  "id": 4050581,
  "title": "‘Merdeka’ from fear and the courage to move forward together — Tengku Zafrul Abdul Aziz",
  "url": "https://urgent.news/2026/08/28/merdeka-from-fear-and-the-courage-to-move-forward-together-tengku",
  "topic": "world",
  "section": "World",
  "published": "2026-08-28T23:00:00.000Z",
  "source": {
    "name": "Malay Mail",
    "slug": "malay-mail",
    "url": "https://www.malaymail.com/news/malaysia/2026/08/29/merdeka-from-fear-and-the-courage-to-move-forward-together-tengku-zafrul-abdul-aziz/233064"
  },
  "original_language": "en",
  "account": "August 29 — When we commemorate Merdeka and Malaysia Day, it is not enough to simply remember the nation's founders from years past. These anniversaries should serve as catalysts for introspection about the kind of Malaysia we wish to create. Nearly seven decades since independence, and six decades since Malaysia's formation, our country has transformed into an industrialized, trading power, a significant player in global semiconductor supply chains, home to millions of professionals. With over five million university graduates in 2024, graduate unemployment stands at around 3.2 percent. The progress made by our forefathers is undeniable, from establishing institutions to opening universities, forging industries, and expanding opportunities beyond what previous generations could fathom.\n\nToday, Malaysians of various ethnicities have become doctors, engineers, scientists, lawyers, entrepreneurs, academics, executives, artists, programmers, and innovators. We must draw inspiration from this remarkable evolution. However, why has our politics remained ensnared in the anxieties of the past? The answer lies in fear — a potent and alluring tool. When individuals are preoccupied with their economic prospects, it becomes effortless to persuade them that their predicament is someone else's fault, and identity politics will serve their interests. It is simpler to generate insecurity than to enhance productivity. It is more straightforward to single out an adversary than to generate better employment opportunities. Equally easy is to tell Malaysians what they should fear than to demonstrate what they can achieve. The temptation to allow irresponsible politicians to fan the flames of our deepest insecurities must be resisted. Genuine political leadership must instill confidence in the future, rather than entrap individuals in fear. Younger Malaysians, in particular, must reject this inclination.\n\nMalaysia must move beyond fear-based identity politics and concentrate on unity, social mobility, education, productivity, and collective progress. This does not necessitate any community becoming less \"Malay,\" \"Bumiputera,\" Chinese, Indian, Iban, Bidayuh, Kadazan-Dusun, Murut, or any other identity. Rather, we should feel secure enough to comprehend that someone else's identity does not threaten our own. For Malays and Bumiputeras, this also entails acknowledging the extent of our advancements. Their participation in universities, professional sectors, entrepreneurship, government, business, and technology has substantially grown over the years. Of course, there remain disparities that must be rectified. However, fostering a persistent sense of racial-based fear or grievance will not remedy this issue. As the dominant community, the Malays and Bumiputras should, by now, recognize their capabilities. We can and will engage the world without apprehension. The confidence in ourselves should reassure every Chinese, Indian, Sabahan, and Sarawakian that this is also their country. This is the Malaysia we ought to aspire to. Given that the challenges confronting the next generation are race-neutral, we must remain vigilant. Artificial intelligence will revolutionize jobs, climate change impacts every household, and the energy transition will reshape industries. Global supply chains are being reorganized, and major powers vie for technology, investment, and talent. Although we have established a labor market comprising more than 16 million people, the true challenge lies in generating sufficiently productive, skilled, and well-compensated positions for the next generation. With the median wage of Malaysian formal-sector employees at nearly RM3,000 monthly — a modest contributor to our fiscal capacity — income disparities have widened. These are challenges worthy of our political focus. We should be fixated on upward social mobility. Having a university education is insufficient; a degree is futile if young graduates cannot escape the low-income cycle or secure jobs matching their skills. Education remains a vital engine of social mobility in Malaysia. However, it demands a substantial overhaul in response to a rapidly changing labor market. Tomorrow's jobs require a new set of tools: digital literacy; problem-solving, technical, and critical thinking skills; adaptability; effective communication, creativity, and the ability to collaborate with increasingly advanced technology. Schools, universities, technical and vocational institutions, and employers must adapt accordingly. Our benchmark of success must be whether each generation of Malaysians, through education and employment, can save, own a home, and nurture their families. This is what will inspire hope in a society capable of achieving a better future. This is why the questions we should be deliberating are: How can we raise wages? How can we distribute wealth more equitably? How can we reform our schools and universities' curriculum for the unrelenting digital economy? How can we enhance the productivity of Malaysian SMEs? How can we build internationally competitive companies? How can we ensure that all Malaysian children can reach their full potential? The answers to these inquiries will not emerge from the Malays or Bumiputeras alone. Nor from any single race. They necessitate the wisdom, energy, and goodwill of all Malaysians. Our population's diversity — a rarity in many countries — is an asset to be leveraged. We are at home in Southeast Asia, with proven capabilities to build cultural and commercial bridges with most of the world at a time when the world is becoming more fragmented. However, this advantage will be squandered if we continue to mistrust one another due to fear-based politics. Our most valuable natural resource is not oil, gas, or land; it is Malaysians. Regrettably, we often squander our talent due to fear.",
  "summary": "AUGUST 29 — Every Merdeka and Malaysia Day, many in my and the older generation look back with pride at the founde...",
  "key_points": [],
  "editors_take": null,
  "illustration": null,
  "coverage": {
    "outlets": 3,
    "also_reported_by": [
      {
        "outlet": "Malay Mail",
        "title": "‘Merdeka’ from fear and the courage to move forward together — Tengku Zafrul Abdul Aziz",
        "url": "https://urgent.news/2026/08/28/merdeka-from-fear-and-the-courage-to-move-forward-together-tengku-4051625",
        "published": "2026-08-28T23:00:00.000Z"
      },
      {
        "outlet": "Borneo Post Online",
        "title": "‘Merdeka’ from fear and the courage to move forward together",
        "url": "https://urgent.news/2026/08/28/merdeka-from-fear-and-the-courage-to-move-forward-together",
        "published": "2026-08-28T23:00:17.000Z"
      }
    ]
  },
  "ai_generated": true,
  "disclaimer": "Summaries, key points and the editor’s take are written by software from other outlets’ reporting and may contain errors — always check the linked original."
}