In conjunction with the Ramadan holy fasting month and a year before the current 14th parliament ends, perhaps it is time we take an inward look into the Malaysia we have always dreamt of.

We may need to reconsider and restructure our entire life spectrum, asking ourselves some of these big questions:

• What does it mean to be Malaysian citizens?
• What are the things that we have done right?
• What are the things that we have not done right?
• How could these things be done better?

We need to draw up a roadmap for the country’s new future direction.

We need to conduct an inner soul-searching in our long, winding journey and struggle, have a big picture of where we now stand and where we stand in the international arena.

We must have the right perception of the roles for each and every one of us, as well as the community interests, i.e. development policies and programs that will be enjoyed fairly and equitably by all Malaysians.

We must constantly maintain and foster our relationships with the Almighty and among ourselves, have a clear vision of all things and renew the approaches we have adopted.

From the perspective of the country’s policies, the core principles must be perpetually upheld, including the Federal Constitution, Rukun Negara, the 1963 Malaysia Agreement, as well as key national policies such as the status of Bahasa Malaysia and Islam, pluralism and federalism.

There are many aspects which need to be improved and reformed, including revitalizing and perfecting an effective democracy, peaceful coexistence in our culturally diverse society, civility and creativity, an integrated and futuristic education, digitalization, reformed public services, corruption-free society and a brand new foreign policy framework, among other things.

We have had solutions to the issues pertaining to basic living, such as vaccine to fight the Covid-19 pandemic. As for extended living issues such as welfare, job, business, economic development and foreign investments, we have implemented a melange of effective measures to address these issues. Such efforts need to be continually enhanced to be more impactful to ensure that the nation and her people will move forward when the pandemic is eventually over.

This introspection needs to be driven by lofty values derived from our religion, culture and history – attributes such as good faith, truth, impartiality, freedom, knowledge, civilization, human development, regeneration, democracy, human rights, lawfulness, solidarity, happiness, opportunities, meritocracy, individual potentials and world peace.

It should encompass areas like our parliamentary democracy and constitutional monarchy, sharing of power, law enforcement, politics, economy, social well-being, education, peace, security and international relations.

All these necessitate a policy-oriented, not individual-oriented, leadership and mentality.

May such soul-searching deliver a glorious ray of new hope for our beloved nation.

(Datuk Seri Saifuddin Abdullah is the Minister of Foreign Affairs and Member of Parliament for Indera Mahkota.)