What happened to Malaysia?

Despite having its plurality of identities? It failed because of autocratic and almost totalitarian rule, which sets the plurality of identities apart.

The usual measures of democracy, I believe, do not include salvation from humanity.

This is what I mean by vindication by association. Because Malaysia does not measure up to this standard, it is not a democratic country.

So the injustice visited is because (1) Malaysia is a heretic of democracy and (2) Muslim Malaysia does not understand that being an Islamic country does not mean it cannot be democratic. In other words, Malaysia does not also understand the value of Islam.

It is therefore wrong for Malaysia to reject enlightenment via western democracy, because it is wrong for people to reject the universal appeal of democracy. Also it is unIslamic. Democracy as first enunciated by John Locke, entering France through the writings of Voltaire reaching the shores of the new world and influencing the framers of the American Constitution, has universal application. Because it is such, any one country modifying or localising the universal principles of democracy is a heretic.

The heretics, of course, include those who promote the Asian values or democracy re-interpreted to incorporate local values. Nothing doing, because doing so goes against the principles of universal democracy.

That reasoning is, of course, self serving as a result of Malaysia not practising the universal principles of democracy.

Confucian values stress the primacy of self cultivation and therefore,stress also personal freedom. This is not correct because the self is always subservient to the greater good of society. This is the essence of a filial society in the Confucian scheme of things.

Small deviations result in a bastardization of democracy and that countries usurping the universal tenets of democracy deserve condemnation and worldwide censure.

It is also crucial to show that he is being victimised for his role to uphold the purity of democracy. He is therefore the West’s only hope to ensure the spread of democracy. Perhaps even to the necessity of carrying out a regime change. — sakmongkol.blogspot.com

12/09/10

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