THERE is not much that is clearly defined about Malaysian identity and what our national ethos is.
Americans have “freedom”, Germans have efficiency, the Japanese have politeness.
What do we have?
Maybe some of us will scoff and laugh at the very notion. After all, in some ways, we’re known (especially among ourselves) for the exact opposite.
But maybe this is one of those defining moments where we can start to change that.
Already, Malaysians have a considerable problem with how some of our institutions are perceived as being terribly corrupt.
Will we now let our athletes’ reputation suffer the same fate? Will Malaysia’s entire sporting ethos now be tarred by the same disreputable brush?
With regards to the Football Association of Malaysia (FAM) scandal, we have already suffered a great, great deal of reputational harm.
We cannot even say for sure whether we will ever recover from this.
What we can say for sure is that if we keep trying to deny the facts, we are going to make things much, much worse than they already are.
Facts that even the most hardcore, ardent supporters and fans of Malaysian football and the leadership of our football institutions will find difficult to deny.
Coming from a place of compassion and love, I think we need to say to those involved: Let this one go. It’s done.
Someone made a mistake. Own it. Admit it. Apologise for it. And move on. Let the healing begin.
This is the only way we will have any chance of winning what is already going to be a severely uphill battle of reclaiming our honour and integrity in the world of sports.
One recent line of attack was criticising people who now “suddenly support FIFA” even after criticising its stance on Israel.
I will be the first to admit that FIFA seems to be gripped by Zionist influence, and I am appalled at the way it has handled the question of Gaza, especially compared with Ukraine.
And yet, the oldest of adages holds: Two wrongs do not make a right.
FIFA is wrong about Israel. But it is right about these seven players on Malaysia’s national team.
Some may say that to say so “betrays” Malaysia. But I feel that to lie, to try to win by cheating, and worst of all, double down on the lying and cheating after being caught, is the ultimate betrayal of Malaysia and Malaysian honour.
Don’t double down on the lie, and don’t make things worse. Just own up, reflect, reorganise, and rebuild. Learn from this mistake, and never let it happen again.
Our government faces a slightly similar situation in a very different case.
The High Court recently awarded the families of Pastor Raymond Koh and Amri Che Mat a large sum in damages, holding the government accountable for failing to solve their disappearances.
Obviously, this case touches on a great deal of sensitivities.
At the end of the day though, two men disappeared completely without a trace. Whether or not they were engaged in anything illegal, it seems clear they were not afforded the full due process of the law.
I will confess to be surprised to have read of the judgement. It isn’t something that happens every day here in Malaysia.
I understand the Attorney General’s Chambers (AGC) tends to appeal most cases it loses, and I know that advocating for the AGC to not appeal would be yet another very uphill battle. I still hope it will reconsider doing so.
Consider the turmoil and suffering experienced by the families of these two disappeared men.
Consider how much trying to appeal this decision would upset not just their families, but all Malaysians who hope for even a modicum of something resembling justice for those who have suffered at the hands of the powerful.
By simply accepting the judgement of the courts, the AGC and the government could go a very long way in facilitating the beginning of a much-needed process of healing.
In both the cases above, the parties involved have the opportunity to define themselves through their actions.
Everyone slips and falls, such as we see in the football matter. Everyone gives into temptation now and again, and perhaps finds out the hard way that not everything can be manipulated the way we want.
Ultimately, what is done is done. The past cannot be changed.
But our future can be determined by how we face our past.
Again, trying to double down, insisting that a mistake was not a mistake, and blaming everyone else instead – these are recipes for an even bigger dishonour than the original one.
Similarly, what happened to Pastor Koh and Amri is a matter of great international shame as well. We don’t want others to look at Malaysia as a place where citizens can simply disappear without a trace, with no due process of law.
In both cases, those involved have a chance to make some kind of restitution. To admit mistakes, begin the healing process, and build back better.
Let’s not let this opportunity pass us by.
Nathaniel Tan is communications consultant. He can be reached at nat@engage.my. The views expressed here are solely the writer’s own.
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