Art: We must heed Gandhi’s warning on ‘wealth without work’
Prominent lawyer Azhar Harun cites quote from Mahatma Gandhi on the root causes of conflicts and violence saying it can be seen in Malaysia today.
PETALING JAYA: Prominent lawyer Azhar Harun says a lesson can be learnt in the wisdom imparted from India’s independence activist Mohandas “Mahatma” Gandhi on the reason why the people are not happy in Malaysia currently.
Azhar, who is more popularly known as Art, was referring to a quote from Gandhi which says : “The root causes of conflicts and violence are wealth without work, pleasure without conscience, knowledge without character, commerce without morality, science without humanity, worship without sacrifice, and politics without principle.”
Calling the message sobering, Art said it can be easily seen in the Malaysian context today.
“Last week, I was asked by a senior politician why, despite our excellent economic numbers, the people are not happy.
“The reasons are as that mentioned in Gandhi’s message. The display of opulence and the arrogance of those who have wealth without work, knowledge without character, worship without sacrifice and politics without principle,” he said in a Facebook posting today.
“In fact it is downright frightening if we view this from the perspective of contemporary Malaysia.”
Art, who is also a human rights activist, lamented the fact that such a scenario can be seen every day but with the people to whom such a message is directed at, not recognising it as a weakness.
“The seeming invincibility of these people and how they are protected by the system, breeds a class of society that is emboldened in their sense of entitlement and a sense of misplaced pride of their possessions.
“They don’t realise that, stripped off their political and power patronage, they are bereft of any sort of usable or beneficial talent.
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“In short, they would, under that circumstance, be nothing. A complete nobody,” he said.