This article first appeared in Forum, The Edge Malaysia Weekly on November 2, 2020 - November 8, 2020

Recently, I found out that a meeting that was held in my boardroom involved a guest who had contact with one of our country’s cabinet ministers who was Covid-19 positive. The whole office panicked, and I sent everyone home. I also asked the people involved to quarantine themselves, sanitised the whole office and imposed stricter standard operating procedures (SOPs), including no outsiders to our office.

We had a sense of déjà vu as we felt like we had just gone through a nightmarish three-month episode earlier this year, battling Covid-19 and survived, and now it was back to haunt us again.

Not long after the incident at my office, the Ministry of Health announced more than 20 new Covid-19 clusters, which triggered the third wave of infections and forced the imposition of the Conditional Movement Control Order (CMCO) in Selangor, Kuala Lumpur and Putrajaya. At the time of writing, Malaysia’s total confirmed cases had crossed the 20,000 mark.

Most people understand that the CMCO must be enforced. After all, from the start of the pandemic, a hadith by Prophet Muhammad has been quoted time and again: “If you hear of a plague in a land, then do not go into it. If it happens in the land where you are, then do not go out of it.” (Sahih-Bukhari 5396, Sahih Muslim 2218).

With the earlier MCO for three months since March, all of us complied and together managed to flatten the curve and prevent the health crisis from worsening. However, it did come with sacrifices and costs, including serious economic penalties.

Far from blaming anyone for the latest outbreaks, we hope that all of us — including our leaders and politicians, whom I would regard as forming the politicians cluster — can learn a lesson from being lax when the situation is improving and will not repeat the mistake of not observing the full SOPs under whatever circumstances.

However, to fight Covid-19, the emphasis should not be on just following the SOPs but also testing, testing and testing. This responsibility should be the responsibility of all — ministers, politicians, VVIPs, the man in the street, everyone. Even companies, especially the big ones, can play their part to encourage their staff to get tested by paying their testing fees. We flattened the curve once, we can do it again together. We must unite to fight the pandemic.

The politicians cluster, including the lawmakers, makes me reflect on the subject of law. There are two types of laws. The first is the decree of God’s laws and the second is man-made laws. When God made us, He provided us with a manual to ensure our sustainability, coexistence and purpose. If we follow these decrees, we would have served our purpose of creation and be at an optimum level while at it.

It is like when Steve Jobs created the iPhone, it came with a manual on how to get the best out of the device. If the manual is used as a guide then the iPhone will stay optimised and serve its purpose of creation. Otherwise, problems start to crop up. Likewise as a human being, I know it is best to fully comply with the decrees of God.

As for man-made laws, we understand the need for them. Mankind creates laws more for uniformity and universality, but these laws are flawed. However, for as long as these laws do not go against God’s laws, we should observe them. Belief in God is the first pillar of our country’s Rukun Negara (national principles) while complying with the Rule of Law is the fourth pillar, which must be read together with the former. This is important to ensure consistency and no confusion that can cause conflict.

As far as man-made laws to contain the spread of Covid-19 are concerned, such as wearing masks, maintaining a distance of at least a metre and using sanitisers, we comply as everyone understands that doing all these is for our sustainability and the greater good of our nation. We even observe the laws that now govern places of worship, including mosques. Muslims have to observe a certain quota for performing mass prayers and maintain our distance, which are not conducive as a purpose to attain the true benefits of congregational prayers. Although it saddens many, we observe this as a sacrifice for the good of many.

If the lawmakers can issue strict SOPs for congregational prayers, surely they can do the same for parliamentary and state elections. This matter will become more urgent and crucial if there is a general election. A level playing field can be created for incumbent and opposition parties in an election, such as the law prohibiting physical campaigning. We could impose digital campaigning instead. When this is enforced, no party or individual has an edge over the other. It will ensure the campaigning is just and fair. The voting method could also be carried out innovatively. If products can be digitised, why not the process of voting?

With our country now being politically split down the middle, there have been calls to expedite the general election. This is a cause for concern for everyone, as we could see from the post-Sabah election period the fast-rising Covid-19 cases. It requires the people in power to think of all the possible repercussions. Otherwise, a national calamity will hit us even harder than ever before.

Laws must apply to all. If leaders defy the law because they think they are above it, the rule of law in this nation will be questioned. If ordinary people can be arrested, fined or jailed for defying our laws, why not the recalcitrant leaders and the so-called cream of society?

Those in power must lead by example. Let us not act like the adult crab in the metaphorical Malay proverb: Seperti ketam mengajar anak berjalan lurus (like a crab teaching its young to walk straight). Just because of a few “crabs” who defy the law, the people have to endure another round of movement restrictions. Really, the country cannot afford another MCO. People have lost jobs and family members while companies have suffered.

Leadership is first and foremost a responsibility. It is a responsibility that must be discharged with accountability. For those who understand this, they will be reluctant to take up this responsibility as it is actually a humbling quest and a heavy burden on anyone. For those who do not understand this, they will easily mistake it for power primarily. And that is why it is easily abused.

So my fellow Malaysians, I call upon each one of you to help build Malaysia into an exemplary and safe nation for all. Regardless of whether they call for a parliamentary, state or general election, pick from among you a leader who really understands the heaviest burden of responsibility that comes with leadership.

Datuk Azrin Mohd Noor, the founder of Sedania Group, is an innovator, author and IP expert

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