#SatuJari GE15: Way forward in enhancing political literacy

SHAH ALAM – Like the saying "the pen is mightier than the sword", the indelible ink on a voter's forefinger is the most powerful tool for change.

In the #SatuJari campaign by anti-graft movement Rasuah Busters, voters were encouraged to carry out their responsibility as a citizen to vote in the 15th General Election (GE15) for the sake of the country's future.

The campaign which was launched last month aimed at delivering a message on the importance and value of "one finger" (each vote) to bring about change to 32.7 million Malaysians.

The campaign was also to show that people were not easily manipulated by any irresponsible parties, on the contrary, taking the role of actively controlling the risks of short and long-term implications in the event of failure of a party to field the right candidate to lead the administration of the state.

POLITICAL LITERACY

The significance of such campaign was to indirectly demonstrate how all voters, not just young voters, could benefit from the sharing of the diverse array of current and future programmes organised by Rasuah Busters.

During the launching of the campaign on Tuesday, its chief executive officer Nurhayati Nordin said in her speech that the anti-graft movement had conducted various formal and informal programmes such as Sinar Wacana which helped enhance viewers' literacy on politics.

"We are together in a political maturity movement,” she said.

Although political literacy could not be directly measured, it was the wise and mature thinking that led to wise decisions on voting for the right leader.

She said corruption could be involved prior to the advent of elections and it was crucial to enhance voters’ maturity and literacy on a clean political system.

"Sweets" or bribes given by political leaders who were dishonest does not necessarily come in a physical form, it could also be in a form of a debt that has been written off or in a form that could influence a vote.

"It is important that we see the reason behind it. The most important thing is that the people take on the role of being wise and begin to be mature in evaluating,” she said.

Meanwhile, Rasuah Buster’s chief Datuk Hussamuddin Yaacub emphasised the importance of Malaysians choosing their leaders as well as the need for voters to set the criteria and high standards of a leader.

He added that people should choose leaders who would consider what is best for the country in the long term.

"After 15 rounds of election, if we still rely on sweets or bribes, and still elect leaders who are aligned with the intention of their own interests, it is a big problem for us,” he said.

Rasuah Busters will conduct more targeted programmes in educational institutions, schools, workplaces, and in collaboration with the public as part of its #SatuJari initiative.

Wacana, Kompas Rasuah Busters, university movement, and student dialogue will continue to be held during the campaign.