The Mix of Love and Politics: Rethinking Malaysia’s Identity

When Malaya became Malaysia, one might ask, did the nation carry a birth certificate or an identity card? In times of hardship, national identity is often prised above all else. We are, perhaps, at that juncture again.

But where does love fit in? In times of difficulty, relationships either fracture or deepen. Some walk away, but for others, love becomes an anchor, a reminder that genuine affection never truly disappears.

In politics, love may seem naive, an unconventional lens through which to view power. Yet, it has the potential to transform political landscapes and humanise governance. Politics usually revolves around strategy, dominance, and conflict. Love offers an alternative: empathy, respect, and genuine care for others. It is compassion set against ambition, prioritising welfare and dignity over partisan victories.

When leaders embrace these values, politics becomes more than the art of control, it becomes a means to nurture societies, cultivate future leaders, and strengthen national identity.

Love as a Political Force

History shows us that love-inspired politics can move nations. Mahatma Gandhi, Martin Luther King Jr., and Nelson Mandela dismantled oppression not with hate, but with compassion, reconciliation, and peaceful resistance. Political power wielded with love heals divisions and forges unity, even in fractured societies.

So, how do we integrate love into politics today?

The obstacles are many, rigid ideologies, power struggles, and competition that dismiss love as weakness. Pragmatism too often sidelines ethics. Yet, without love, politics risks becoming a cold arena dominated by corruption, injustice, and alienation.

What we need is a cultural and mental shift, towards humility, mutual respect, and trust. Our education systems must cultivate civic responsibility, emotional intelligence, and empathy. Public participation, whether through dialogue or engagement, must be genuine, not symbolic.

This would redefine power, not as domination, but as service to the common good.

Justice, Faith, and Compassion

Love begets justice. Without empathy, justice is incomplete. Love pushes individuals and societies to act against harm and stand for fairness. It shifts politics from fear to hope, from division to solidarity, from cruelty to mercy, and from domination to service.

Love in politics is not passive. It demands sacrifice, resistance against oppression, and enduring faith in humanity. Policies shaped by love carry ethical and emotional weight, elevating governance beyond power struggles to a higher purpose.

In Islam, politics is never divorced from love. Governance is amanah (a trust), to be carried out with compassion, justice, and mercy. Love is expressed through ukhuwwah (brotherhood), binding societies together in responsibility and harmony. The Prophet Muhammad ﷺ led with consultation (shura), humility, fairness, and care for all. His governance in Medina was politics infused with love, showing us that political leadership can itself be an act of worship.

Lessons From History and Literature

Even love stories like that of Cleopatra and Antony show the entanglement of politics and affection. Their relationship was not only romantic but strategic, each needing the other for survival. Shakespeare portrayed it as passionate yet doomed, reminding us that love and power are rarely separable.

In truth, love can never be a fully apolitical act. Whether in personal or political life, it influences choices, priorities, and legacies.

Martin Luther King Jr. once said:

“There comes a time when one must take a position that is neither safe, nor politic, nor popular, but he must take it because conscience tells him it is right.”

This is where love enters politics, not as sentimentality, but as conscience, courage, and compassion.

Towards a Loving Malaysia

As we celebrate Hari Malaysia, perhaps this is the reflection we need. Love in politics is not weakness. It is the courage to govern with empathy, the wisdom to prioritise justice, and the faith to uphold dignity for all.

A Malaysia shaped by love would not only survive its challenges but thrive, harmoniously, justly, and with a shared identity that transcends divisions.

Selamat Hari Malaysia.

What say you?

Saleh Mohammed