Musyawarah Nasional Must Evolve Beyond Seasonal Discourse

By Amanina Mohamad Yusof

PUTRAJAYA, May 8 (Bernama) -- Musyawarah Nasional should be formally institutionalised to ensure it does not remain merely a seasonal programme, but instead evolves into a practical, professional and accountable body capable of uniting political parties without compromising their respective ideologies.

Its Political Pillar chairman, Prof Dr Zainal Abidin Sanusi, said the country’s political landscape is now multipolar, with no single party holding dominant control, making it crucial for all parties to engage in dialogue for the national agenda.

He said that although ideological differences among political parties are inevitable, an institutionalised musyawarah could serve as a platform to identify common ground without undermining each party’s principles.

“I believe the approach needed is to establish Musyawarah Nasional as a formal body, whether as a society, association or otherwise, but it must and should provide continuous space for discussion and action, not merely function as a discourse platform.

“In a diverse political environment, we cannot rely on outdated episodic or seasonal approaches. There must be a permanent mechanism that enables ongoing dialogue and policy coordination,” he told Bernama.

Zainal Abidin, who is also the director of the Centre for Wellbeing, Sustainability and Humanity at the International Islamic University Malaysia (IIUM), said previous initiatives such as seminars, workshops and periodic meetings were seen as less effective due to the lack of continuity and the failure to translate discussions into concrete policy action.

As such, he stressed that formally establishing Musyawarah Nasional and ensuring it functions systematically is critical to elevating views and proposals to the implementation stage.

He said the platform should also involve politicians, academics, non-governmental organisations (NGOs), industry players and youth groups to ensure a balance between policy perspectives and implementation realities.

“The combination of policymakers and experts from various fields is important to ensure decisions are not only practical, but also data-driven and responsive to current needs,” he said.

At the same time, Zainal Abidin said Musyawarah Nasional should not be perceived as an elite platform or one influenced by any political party, in order to preserve public trust and credibility.

“We do not want it to be seen as elitist or as something driven by a single political party, because that would immediately limit the potential to involve everyone.

“The Musyawarah Nasional must become a grassroots-based platform representing all who wish to participate. It should not be viewed merely as an academic think tank, but rather as a collective that brings together all segments of society,” he said.

Asked whether politicians should be directly involved, Zainal Abidin said representatives from all political parties should be included, but not as the sole decision-makers.

“All political parties must be present, but the difference is that previously, final decisions were usually dominated by politicians, while academics merely offered views. That is the old model.

“The new model is for academics also to be directly involved in decision-making and implementation,” he said.

Zainal Abidin said that frameworks such as the Federal Constitution should serve as the foundation to ensure discussions remain within legitimate boundaries and do not create racial misunderstandings.

At the same time, he said the Musyawarah Nasional should function not only as a discussion platform, but also as a body that monitors implementation and ensures accountability among all stakeholders.

“Public trust today has eroded because there is too much rhetoric without results. What is needed is a mechanism capable of translating ideas into action,” he said.

On the Musyawarah Nasional scheduled to be held this Sunday in Kuala Lumpur, Zainal Abidin said one of the proposals from the Political Pillar would be constitutional education for Malaysians so that people understand their rights without being labelled racist.

Musyawarah Nasional was announced by its founder, Deputy Prime Minister and UMNO president Datuk Seri Ahmad Zahid Hamidi, during the UMNO General Assembly 2025. 

Five key pillars covering religion, politics, economy, education and social aspects formed the focus of Musyawarah Nasional in shaping the strategic direction of the Malay community and the nation’s future.

-- BERNAMA