KUALA LUMPUR: The year 2015 was a challenging and colourful one for Malaysia on many aspects, particularly on the political front.
Barisan Nasional had its fair share of upheavals, with leadership issues affecting Umno and MIC, while the opposition was at its weakest, given its rebranding as Pakatan Harapan, minus its former coalition partner Pas.
"In terms of politics, there was a crisis in both Barisan Nasional as well as Pakatan," said Associate Professor Dr Mohd Azizuddin Mohd Sani.
Pas experienced a split from within and beyond, while MIC and Umno struggled with internal issues, opined the political analyst from Universiti Utara Malaysia.
Nevertheless, despite the various upheavals, there were moments where several individuals displayed true examples of leadership.
NSTOnline examines the top five moments where Malaysia's leaders demonstrated what it takes to command respect and admiration from all.
5. Perkasa 'falls in love' with Christian group
- You normally wouldn't have expected it from them. But in August, just days away from the Merdeka celebrations, Malay rights group Perkasa, known for their fiery ultra-Malay rhetoric, met with Christians for Peace and Harmony Malaysia (CPHM).
After a two-hour dialogue, Perkasa declared that they have agreed to abstain from issuing statements which could create religious conflict, and would consult with each other.
Perkasa president Datuk Ibrahim Ali said the two groups "had fallen in love" with each other, adding that their coming together was "a gift from God"
"We agreed today that Malaysia is a testbed for peace and harmony among religions and this is a gift from God for us to strive together for peace and harmony," Ibrahim was reported as saying.
Mohd Azizuddin said the move showed a move to a new era of politics.
"An ultra-Malay movement showed that it could cooperate (with a Christian organisation) for the good of the country and for unity," he said.
4. Sultan of Kelantan earns admiration for helping in flood relief efforts
- Social media was abuzz this year with first-hand accounts of how the Sultan of Kelantan Sultan Muhammad V had abandoned protocol to help flood victims as Kelantan faced the brunt of the worst floods in recent history, which hit the state in late 2014 and spilled into 2015.
Pictures of the Sultan driving his own four-wheel drive and helping an old man went viral, along with reports that he was travelling around the state without escort or even the media knowing about it, totally unrecognised.
One social media account stated that "His Highness even received orders from an army major. When asked where he was from, he said he was a 'local'. When asked why he looked like the Sultan of Kelantan, he just smiled. When the person realised he was the Sultan, he apologised but the Sultan just hugged him."
Mohd Azizuddin said the Sultan was widely regarded as someone who was 'berjiwa rakyat' ( a man of the people), and as such, it came as no surprise that a member of royalty was willing to mix it up with the people to assist them in their time of need.
3. Penang opposition assemblymen band with BN to defend fishermen
- Penang was recently rocked by a land reclamation issue, in which 1,500 fishermen had objected to a massive project that could affect their livelihoods.
However, instead of taking the safe route, one DAP and five PKR assemblymen broke rank with the state government over a Barisan Nasional motion on the matter, tabled at the state assembly sitting.
DAP’s Tanjung Bungah assemblyman, Teh Yee Cheu, cast a conscience vote to protect the environment but paid a heavy price later when he was not voted into the party’s state committee.
Mohd Azizuddin said the move showed a new approach to politics being adopted by the MPs.
"For the sake of the community, they were willing to go against their party," he added.
Describing the act as "heroic", Mohd Azizuddin added that it could possibly mark a turning point in Malaysian politics.
2. Adenan Satem defends Sarawak's unique ethnicity
- Sarawak Chief Minister Tan Sri Adenan Satem made headlines earlier this year when he told Sarawakians to ignore the “Lain-lain (others)” category in official forms and to instead, write down their own ethnicity in the forms.
This he said, was after Putrajaya did not make changes to recognise the diverse ethnicities of Sarawak.
Mohd Azizuddin described Adenan as a charismatic leader who led the people not based on racial lines, but as a united 'bangsa'.
"That is why he is liked by the people," he added.
"Sarawak is a major contributor to the economy of the country, but has vast areas of land that need development," said Mohd Azizuddin.
Adenan's leadership on the issue was respected by the people, he added.
1. Tok Pa shows what a true gentleman leader is made of
- In 2015, Datuk Seri Mustapa Mohamed demonstrated what it took to be a true gentleman and embodied the true meaning of accountability.
At an official function held at the new MITI building, the minister, better known as Tok Pa, made a rare gaffe - describing the new building as an “inexperienced virgin” and the old building which had been the home to the ministry for the past 30 years, as an "old wife" who was no longer exciting.
The statement naturally received a backlash from several parties who found the statement offensive.
Instead of waiting for the issue to die down or claim that his statement had been taken out of context, Mustapa chose to tackle the issue head on and apologise.
"I humbly apologise for offending anyone, including women, with my inappropriate analogy at the event.
“As head of staff, a husband and a father, I always respect women’s contributions to the country and to myself and I hold them in high regard. I regret what happened and this will be a lesson for me. I hope the matter will not be prolonged,” he said in a statement.
Mustapa, said Mohd Azizuddin, is a rare breed.
"It is rare to find a politician who is open and accountable such as Tok Pa," he added.