Unprecedented things occur. The UK has an Indian prime minister. And Barack Obama was the first non-white US president and Kamala Harris is the first African-Indian US vice-president.

Ruthless dictators still abound. The Myanmar army has staged a coup deposing the democratically elected government of Aung San Suu Kyi and has now jailed her for a lengthy term of imprisonment.

There are silver linings. Indonesia under President Joko Widodo (Jokowi) is forging ahead economically. Vietnam is also growing rapidly.

Where’s Malaysia in all of this?

Malaysia today has fallen behind countries that we were once ahead of. China through its belt and road initiative has become a major investor and trading partner in many countries in Asia and Africa.

We have not done so well. Our national debt exceeds one trillion ringgit and our household debt exceeds one trillion ringgit. We are 30 percent dependent on our oil and gas revenues. These are depleting assets.

Part of our problem has been corruption. Some of our leaders have helped themselves with the funds they were entrusted to look after. There has been leakage and there have been losses through wasteful and extravagant projects.

We have also become an increasingly polarised nation. PAS does not want non-Muslims in government. Perikatan Nasional also pursues an exclusive Malay policy.

We are also caught in a middle-income trap. And that is partly because worker productivity is relatively low.

Our expenditure on education is massive but quality is a big issue impacting directly the productivity and employability of many of our graduates.

The loss of English language proficiency is a big issue. Our students are not able to access the vast resources available on the internet and in books and research publications because they require high English language proficiency.

GE15 did not produce a decisive winner. It resulted in a hung Parliament. At the intervention of the king and the rulers, a unity government was formed by Pakatan Harapan and Umno. PN and PAS chose to stay out.

Anwar’s govt

Do Anwar Ibrahim and the unity government bring hope?

Anwar is now our prime minister. He has been on the wrong side of a defective political and legal system for a long time. He now has the opportunity to fix things. He has little time to do what needs to be done. He needs to be quick but he also needs to be cautious.

He needs to bring our people together. But he must not alarm the Malays. The unity government must demonstrate that a united nation will be better for all in this country. That our diversity can be our strength.

It is a delicate balancing act. Look after the poor of all races. Provide training and support for Malay entrepreneurs. Provide incentives for investment both domestic and foreign.

This could be a good and exciting time for the nation and for all Malaysians. A time to press the reset button, and start afresh.

The elimination of corruption will free the nation from invisible constraints and wasteful expenditure. Better education will raise levels of productivity. Looking after the poor will unshackle a huge segment of our society and help them become more productive.

This is an opportunity for Anwar to prove himself and for Umno to redeem itself. Who knows, this unlikely alliance may save the nation. That is our hope for the year 2023 and the years ahead.