We are still pinching ourselves to see if it was all merely a dream, the GE14 affair that rocked the whole nation and shocked the whole world! But it was indeed a dream come true for millions of Malaysians who had yearned for a FAIR and CLEAN government that we all deserve, although right up to Election Day, no one knew for sure how it would turn out – not the journalists, not the politicians, and not the millions of voters who had turned out in droves, from various parts of the country, and from various parts of the world, despite all the odds stacked against them, by the previous government that had feared the power of the voters!

Political analyst I am not. But I see a very close relationship between national politics and leadership, and the family. Here are my observations in that light:

Right partnerships

How you run your family will reflect on how you might run a country. A capable leader is one with deep human values and an enormous desire to serve the people. And it is a PARTNERSHIP – between husband and wife; the CEO and his team; the leader and his co-leaders; the yin and the yang.

A starting definition: Yin / Yang: Two halves that together complete wholeness. Yin and yang are also the starting point for change. When something is whole, by definition, it’s unchanging and complete. So when you split something into two halves – yin/yang, it upsets the equilibrium of wholeness. Both halves are chasing after each other as they seek a new balance with each other.

So, like the balancing of the force in the universe, we need to balance the forces that make any partnerships complete, and whole. The process of striking the right partnerships is a long and tedious one. It takes trust, forgiveness and faith, in the possibilities of the partnership – without which, it will be tough to move forward. There are many cases where couples are stuck in time, because they couldn’t move forward both parties refuse to change.

1. Trust – how do you trust? You trust the law of karma, where there is action, there shall be a reaction. Or Newton’s Third Law of Motion: For every action, there is an equal and opposite reaction. This statement means that in every interaction, there are two forces acting on the interacting objects. The size of the force on the first object equals the size of the force on the second object. The direction of the force on the first object is opposite to the direction of the force on the second object.

2. Forgiveness – To err is human, to forgive divine. It takes a great person to admit one’s past mistakes. It takes a greater person to forgive and forget past animosity. Only then, can change happen!

3. Faith – One must have faith in the possibilities of positive outcomes, without which the world will be a dark and fatalistic place. Good will always conquer evil, light will overcome darkness, wisdom will override ignorance. Keep the faith alive, no matter what. Never say never!

Right Motivations

One must have the right motivations in doing something, be it running a country or running a household. Everyone is in it for the benefit of others – the citizens, the families, the community. It should never be about self-aggrandisement or selfish reasons. When this common motivation is established, all parties work effortlessly and seamlessly towards a common goal, and all bickering and disagreements should be discussed in a fair and civilised manner.

Right Speech

We have seen and heard so many speeches by so many individuals – some louder and more sarcastic than others, and some who seemed holier-than-thou with a stiff upper lip to go with it. Right speech is speech that is spoken with honesty and sincerity, with facts and numbers to show, and a compassion that is heartfelt. It takes one who is humble and cultured to be speaking with a calm and collected demeanour. Not only will the message be transmitted with greater clarity, it can also inspire change for the better! We don’t want to be empty vessels making the most noise do we?

Right action

With the law of karma and the Newton’s law of motion in mind, we should launch into action what has been thought about and discussed with detail and careful consideration, for the continual goodness and welfare of the country and the family. Whatever action that has been decided upon with consensus of everyone involved, it has to be of healthy benefits to the individual, the family/community and the environment. Nothing should be seen to be bulldozed through. When action is done through thorough contemplation of all issues involved, and consulted with all parties, it will see the light of day and the fruits of labour will be enjoyed by all parties. This requires patience, compassion and respect. There is no room for impatience, hatred or disrespect – for they are totally uncalled for. It just reflects a total lack of proper and careful thought processes which are prerequisites for any educated discussions and well-thought-out plans of actions.

In the meantime, citizens, family and friends should remain quietly supportive to allow the country/family time to heal old and battered wounds, and to generate positive energies in preparation for a renewed future. We don’t want it to end up with the case of too many cooks spoiling the broth – too many persons involved in managing an activity can ruin it!

But the tossing of the “salad of prosperity” during the festive period is the ultimate practice of harmony and inclusivity!