In his first ceramah as Deputy Prime Minister 1, I detect some real hope for Malaysia.

Others may think me naive but those others are the ones who attack Anwar Ibrahim in his choice for the DPM 1 post.

My question to those ‘others’ are who is the viable and alternative candidate for the DPM post other than Zahid? Who can be strong enough to control Umno and BN?

Until today, those so-called academics or political analysts and those civil society personalities have not put forward their own candidates.

I have written that as an academic, I know where the limit of my ability is, but many others think they can wear the hats of the PM or the politician who has to manage ‘enemies’ into friends.

There is not a single well-intention Malaysian who does not agree with Zahid’s appointment that can provide an alternative and viable solution to this issue.

For me, I have always said that many of these non-Malay and non-Muslim analysts or civil society personalities do not understand the bond of Islam and the Malay adab.

Many of these detractors also do not understand the opportunity to change BN and Umno has just dropped right into our laps.

Many can only feed their vengeance and disgust at what Umno and BN had done or had said to hurt Malaysians. These emotions, though justified in every way, is never the path that great spirituality demands.

Great spirituality demands a magnanimity of a large heart while most of us only possess our small hearts and formal identity of faith that we protect fiercely.

This is where we separate true faith and a false or weak faith that is born of identity and selfishness.

I sense hope in Zahid’s speech when he said that the way forward for Malaysia is to redefine it not in terms of race or religious faith but the celebration of diversity and multiculturalism.

Will Malaysians who seem so self-righteous at their own sense of smallness and limited morality allow the parties of PAS extremists and racist bigotry of PPBM to win the day?

I have written about the difference between Melayu Traditional and Melayu Global for Umno to choose for its future narrative.

A Melayu Traditional is afraid that Christians and Chinese will take over Malaysia and become like Singapore. But a Melayu Global believes in a wider Islam and a cosmopolitan Malay ancient history who can be part of a global coexistence and also contribute fruitfully for mutual understanding, acceptance and prosperity.

Melayu Traditional is predicated on fear but Melayu Global is founded on knowledge, courage and the acceptance of diversity as a growth construct.

I hope Umno and Zahid would choose this Melayu Global construct and reform Umno back to the days of Onn Jaafar and Tunku Abdul Rahman.

The Unity Government of Anwar Ibrahim that saw PH working with BN and GPS is a dream come true to me.

I have always thought that if PH were to win, then real political change may not occur because it will split the country into Malay opposition and a mixed government.

With the presence of BN and Umno, the Malay voters and members can be exposed to life other than a silo Melayu or a silo Muslim living within their own vain sense of justification of success in this world and the next.

We Malaysians must all help and provide the space for Umno to grow and with it a new BN because the old MCA and MIC have selfish leaders bent on their own self-gratification of political offers by the PN.

My main worry is that Malaysians who are still poking holes in the ship of Unity Government just because they can only see things in front of their noses and not look beyond at the opportunities ahead, will sink this ship come December 19.

Will Malaysians who seem so self-righteous at their own sense of smallness and limited morality allow the parties of PAS extremists and racist bigotry of PPBM to win the day?

Why are these Malaysians acting like a child who throws a tantrum when he or she does not get everything his or her way?

As grown-ups, we understand the idea of change and compromise when we get married and lived with someone so different from us and also when we have children whom in adulthood go their own way and not what we thought best for them. How is this different?

We have an opportunity right here and now to have three multiracial coalitions in which PH is multiracial and multi-faith, BN is multiracial and multi-faith and GPS also a multiracial and multi-faith party against the single-race and single-religion of the other parties.

Will we throw this God given gift just because we did not get our way or that we stand on principles and high morality? Did Jesus not defend a prostitute from being judged unfairly against his idea of chastity and adultery? Where was his morality when he did that?

Jesus had, to me, a magnanimous heart and a far vision of human goodness and potential than the simple black and white of everyday and peace time morality.

The choice is clear, work with the new government one and all or destroy it and let us welcome Hadi Awang and Muhyiddin with flowers and red carpets.

When Tun M was given a chance to be the PM for the second time, many of these same people I know supported him 100% and did not want Anwar to be given the post.

These people were both right in ‘forgiving’ Mahathir and letting him back as a decent Malaysian but these same people were also wrong when it was proven that Mahathir whom they supported turned to be a bad person.

What of Zahid Hamidi? As human beings we must have the heart to hope that all can change and we have the humility of faith when we are proven wrong sometimes.

There is nothing wrong with being wrong, it is part of being human. We are all not God.

I choose to believe that under Zahid Hamidi, regardless of his past, he will be the key to changing Umno and BN back to the good days of Tunku Abdul Rahman or even much better.

The choice is ours!

(Prof Dr. Mohd Tajuddin Mohd Rasdi is Professor of Architecture at a local university and his writing reflects his own personal opinion entirely.)