The recent upheavals in Indonesia and Nepal land like a lash on governance itself.

Citizens, especially the young, are no longer content to remain silent. Their frustrations, fueled by economic uncertainty, political decisions, and restrictions on freedom, have erupted in protests that turned from hope into hostility.

I am not a fan of such protests, particularly when they spiral into violence. Yet I see them as symptoms of deep-rooted governance issues that cannot be ignored.

What began as a clash of ideologies between citizens yearning for openness and governments clinging to control has splashed into society as unrest, leaving behind broken trust and fractured stability.

As I reflect on these events, I see a parallel to the framework I advocate through my book Charactaire and its 5Ds: Dream, Discipline, Determination, Dedication, and Devotion, the Quintuple Secrets to Character Richness.

These principles are not mere ideals; they are anchors of leadership that can turn unrest into reform and prevent governance from cracking under pressure.

Dream: Shaping a shared vision

In Nepal, the government’s sudden ban on 26 social media platforms was not just a policy decision, it was a blow to the dream of expression.

For the youth, Facebook, Instagram, and YouTube were spaces where they connected, created, and critiqued.

Of course, social media carries negative elements such as misinformation, toxicity, and polarization, but it cannot be ignored altogether.

For many young people, it remains their most accessible avenue of participation. Their dream was for a society where their voices mattered. Suppressing that dream did not silence them, it ignited them.

Discipline: Channeling energy into strategy

In Indonesia, the “Dark Indonesia” protests saw students across multiple cities dress in black to oppose education budget cuts and the growing role of the military in civilian life.

Their symbolic attire and coordinated actions across campuses turned scattered frustrations into a coherent message.

Amplified through social media, their chants became rallying cries that the government could not ignore.

As Sun Tzu’s wisdom in The Art of War reminds us, even the smallest spark of disorder, if left unchecked, can grow into a fire that consumes stability.

To me, protests, if unavoidable should be conducted in a disciplined fashion without escalating into violence.

In this way, symbolism, coordination, and persistence can transform scattered anger into a movement that resonates across a nation while still preserving peace and harmony.

Determination: Persisting through setbacks

The Nepali protests escalated despite rubber bullets, tear gas, and live rounds.

Although lives were lost, yet marches continued under curfew. This determination forced the government to lift the ban and led to the resignation of the Home Minister.

Determination, however, must balance persistence with wisdom. Change loses credibility when pursued blindly.

Dedication: Building beyond the moment

In both Nepal and Indonesia, protest movements won immediate concessions. But real transformation requires more.

Dedication is about embedding reform into systems and institutions, not just moments of outrage.

Without sustained follow-through, short-term victories risk fading into cycles of unrest.

True dedication goes beyond the protest grounds. It means working through civic engagement, policymaking, and community building to secure lasting change.

Devotion: Anchoring in integrity

Many protesters showed devotion by risking arrest, injury, and even death for what they believed was the greater good.

Such sacrifice is not ordinary; it reflects a willingness to stand for something larger than oneself. Yet devotion, if untethered from integrity, can slip into destruction.

When movements resort to violence, arson, or vengeance, they surrender the moral high ground and give governments the justification to silence them.

True devotion is not proven in how loud or forceful we are; it is revealed in how just and principled we remain when tested.

Integrity under pressure is the ultimate act of devotion. History remembers not those who shouted the loudest, but those whose devotion lit the path toward change without burning down the very values they fought for.

Lessons for Malaysia

Malaysia is not immune to the lash of governance challenges. When young voices feel excluded or dismissed, clashes of ideology can arise here too. If left unchecked, they may spill into the streets as unrest.

I do not celebrate protests, nor do I endorse violence. But I believe in looking deeper at the dreams, frustrations, and aspirations that drive people to such extremes.

Protests are symptoms, not solutions. If leaders only react to unrest while ignoring its root causes, the cycle will repeat.

The lesson is clear: collective energy without character risks spiraling into chaos, while character without courage risks complacency.

By embedding the 5Ds into our leadership and civic culture, Malaysia can transform potential flashpoints into opportunities for growth.

We must dream boldly, act with discipline, persist with determination, commit with dedication, and remain devoted to integrity.

These 5Ds are not foreign ideals, they echo the very spirit of our Rukun Negara.

To dream boldly is to believe in a higher purpose anchored in faith. Discipline reflects loyalty to King and Country. Determination aligns with upholding the supremacy of the Constitution. Dedication mirrors respect for the rule of law. And devotion, anchored in integrity, resonates with courtesy and morality in our dealings with one another.

In doing so, we will not only shield ourselves from turbulence but also strengthen the fabric of our democracy, ensuring Malaysia grows in unity, justice, and character.

Remember! When ideologies clash and violence threaten to splash, character is the anchor. For Malaysia, nurturing that anchor today ensures our struggles shape wisdom, not wounds.

The Ministry of Education’s planned 2027 curriculum reform, which includes a Character Program, may be one meaningful way to begin embedding these values early. This ensures the next generation grows with resilience, integrity, and unity at its core.

Selamat Hari Malaysia, agar Malaysia sentiasa selamat di tangan kita semua.

(Asohan Satkunasingham is an Author, Character Quotient Pioneer, Corporate Educator and Global HR Strategist.)