AMERICA’S FOREIGN POLICY PROBLEM - Adults Bully, Children Learn

 

Children do not learn bullying from textbooks.
They learn it from watching adults with power.

In schools, we know this instinctively. A child who sees intimidation rewarded will imitate it. A child who sees force replace dialogue will copy that behaviour. Bullying, at its core, is learned conduct.

That is why bullying among young Americans being more acute is not surprising.

America itself has normalised bullying on the world stage.

From sanctions that strangle societies, to regime-change bravado, to public humiliation of weaker states, U.S. foreign policy has often relied less on quiet authority and more on coercion by dominance. Power is not merely exercised - it is performed.

The recent Venezuelan episode only sharpens this pattern. The reported kidnapping and public mistreatment of President Maduro’s wife - symbolised by images of her swollen, blackened eye - speaks louder than any official press release. One image can explain what a thousand policy statements cannot: this is power without restraint.

When the strongest nation behaves this way, it should not be shocked when its children absorb the same lesson.

Silent Power: America Has Done Better Before

The United States has several strong historical examples of presidents using silent power - restraint, legitimacy, quiet authority - instead of force. Two of the clearest, widely respected cases are comparable in moral weight to Eisenhower and the Suez Crisis.

History shows that America once understood silent power. During the Suez Crisis of 1956, when Britain, France, and Israel invaded Egypt to seize the Suez Canal, President Eisenhower refused to back them or look away. Using financial pressure, diplomatic authority, and one firm phone call, he forced all three allies to withdraw - without invasion, missiles, or bravado. A few years later, during the Cuban Missile Crisis, President Kennedy again chose restraint under immense pressure, imposing a naval quarantine, opening back-channel diplomacy with Moscow, and allowing a face-saving exit for the Soviet Union. Nuclear war was avoided not through dominance, but through self-control and legitimacy.

A truly powerful nation does not need to intimidate. Force is not strength; it is the last refuge of insecurity. Bullies, whether in schools or geopolitics, often act not from confidence but from inner uncertainty - fear of losing relevance, control, or status.

America should ask itself an uncomfortable question: Has greatness been replaced by bravado? Has insecurity crept in where moral confidence once stood?

Today, loudness has replaced leadership.

America can do better. It must choose better teachers - restraint over aggression, dignity over domination, moral authority over raw force. It must also be clear about what it should not learn. America must not learn from Israel’s current example, where prolonged use of overwhelming force and dehumanising rhetoric has produced a society in which large majorities openly justify genocide and the killing of innocent civilians. This is what happens when adults model cruelty, impunity, and moral exceptionalism instead of restraint and accountability.

America is a great nation with fundamentally good people, and it should not want its children to grow up accepting genocide as normal or violence against innocents as defensible. America is better than this and it deserves better.

Because when adults stop bullying, children eventually do too.

“Blessed are the meek, for they shall inherit the earth.”
(Matthew 5:5)            

Peace, anas

            

365 QURAN – 2-MINUTE DAILY REFLECTIONS - book by Mahani Zubedy

 

We recently launched 365 QURAN – 2-MINUTE DAILY REFLECTIONS, written by my big sister, Mahani.

This book was conceived as easy, gentle reading - two minutes a day-for quiet reflection and inner nourishment. While rooted in the Qur’an, it is not written for Muslims alone. From the very beginning, we envisioned it as a universal book, so that non-Muslims too can experience the timeless wisdom and gems of the Qur’an in a simple, accessible way.

It makes a thoughtful New Year gift—for yourself, your family, and your friends.

Availability

·        Available at all major bookstores nationwide

·        Retail price: RM65.70

🎉 Special New Year Offer (Malaysia only)
🗓 1–31 January 2026
💰 RM50.00 (delivery cost not included) call 03 77336919 or email sarah@zubedy.com

🛒 Order online:

·        Shopee: https://l1nq.com/EoTky

·        Lazada: https://l1nq.com/Oaa9K

·        Malmega: https://l1nq.com/5Tx0K

📱 Kindle Edition: Coming soon
Price: USD 18.00

Peace—and have a meaningful 2026.

Anas

IRAN’S NUCLEAR HISTORY - AND WHAT IT CAN TEACH US ABOUT POLITICS BACK HOME

 

Most people assume Iran’s nuclear story started as something dark and secretive.
It didn’t.

It actually began in the 1950s, openly, and with encouragement from the United States and other Western powers. Under the “Atoms for Peace” initiative, Iran was helped to develop a civilian nuclear programme. Iranian students and engineers were sent to study in the US and Europe. Hundreds were trained in nuclear physics, reactor engineering, nuclear medicine, and related fields. This wasn’t underground knowledge. It was taught, funded, and supported.

Back then, nobody raised alarms. Iran signed the Nuclear Non-Proliferation Treaty. Inspections were allowed. Western companies signed contracts to build nuclear power plants. The narrative was simple: this was about energy, development, and modernisation.

So what changed?

After the 1979 revolution, the science did not disappear. The engineers didn’t forget what they learned. The technology didn’t suddenly become magical or mysterious. But the story about it changed - almost overnight. Same country. Same people. Same scientific foundations. Different narrative. That alone should make us pause and ask: when did the concern become about capability - and when did it become about politics?

And here’s something else worth thinking about, calmly and without emotion.

It is also smart to be more thoughtful. Because narratives are not fixed. They move with alliances. Today, a country can be framed as a threat. Tomorrow, if it becomes an ally, the language softens, the tone shifts, and suddenly the “problem” doesn’t sound quite so dangerous anymore. If one day Iran becomes a strategic partner again, do we really think the narrative will stay exactly the same?

That’s why thinking deeply isn’t just moral - it’s practical. Otherwise, we end up feeling like a political football, kicked around by bigger powers, reacting to headlines written elsewhere, for interests that may not be ours.

There’s another part of Iran’s history that rarely gets mentioned with the same intensity.

During the Iran–Iraq War, Iranian soldiers and civilians were hit by chemical weapons. They suffered badly. Iran had the ability to retaliate. It chose not to. No chemical weapons programme. No chemical response. Why would a country under that kind of pressure hold back?

Iran later signed international conventions banning chemical weapons and often points to that war as the reason. The lesson, they say, was clear: some weapons cross a line that cannot be uncrossed. Whether one agrees or disagrees with Iran today, that choice complicates the neat, black-and-white narratives we are often fed.

This is not about defending Iran.
It’s about understanding history in full, not in fragments.

So what can we learn from this Iranian episode when we look at politics back home?

Quite a lot, actually. Because the cycle is the same.

Today, one side paints the other as racists, bigots, extremists, corrupt, or dangerous. The language is strong. The moral certainty is loud. Everything feels urgent. We are told THIS is the truth, THAT side is the enemy, and YOU must choose.

Then tomorrow - when it becomes convenient - positions shift. Old enemies become useful allies. Old accusations are quietly forgotten. Principles are adjusted. Narratives are rewritten. Almost as easily as changing underpants.

And who is left standing there feeling a little stupid?

Us. The rakyat. Feeling like we’ve been had again.

This is why it’s not just about international affairs. It applies very much to local politics too. It is in our interest - perhaps even our survival - to rise above partisan storytelling. Real change doesn’t happen when the masses are easily triggered. It happens when people become harder to manipulate.

When we slow down.
When we verify.
When we compare narratives over time.
When we ask, who benefits from me believing this today?

Every major tradition urges us to do exactly this. The Bible reminds us to test what we hear. The Buddha warned against blind belief and encouraged careful examination. Chinese wisdom tells us that learning without thinking is shallow, and thinking without learning is dangerous. The Tirukkural cautions against accepting claims without discernment. And the Qur’an tells believers plainly: if news comes to you, verify it.

Truth rarely shouts.
It usually whispers.

And it waits for those willing to think - before reacting.

Maybe, the real test is this: are we Malaysians ready to pause, think, and not be played?

Peace, anas

LOCAL ELECTIONS?

I am for local elections- on one clear condition.

They must be strictly non-partisan.

No political parties.

No party logos.

No sitting politicians.

Anyone who has been a member of a political party should first resign and remain independent for at least five years.

Former party leaders should observe a ten-year cooling-off period.

We already have more than enough politics at the national and state levels. Frankly, dah muak.

If party politicians enter local councils, we will get the same old, same old-promise one thing, do another once in power.

Local councils should be about drains, rubbish, traffic, planning, and public spaces - not ideology, patronage, or national power games.

Once party politics enters, racial narratives will be magnified and hypocrisy will become the norm.

If we truly want grassroots accountability, then let local governance be local people serving local needs—not another extension of party politics.

Peace, anas

Have a Meaningful Christmas 2025 : LEADERSHIP: Why Substance Beats Style

 

 

Have a Meaningful Christmas

LEADERSHIP: Why Substance Beats Style

In leadership, especially in the world of business, competence and judgement matter far more than charisma. Style without substance is not merely inadequate; it can be dangerous. Leadership is not about showmanship, nor does it rely on polished rhetoric, dramatic gestures, or carefully crafted public personas.

At its core, leadership is about judgment: the ability to weigh competing pressures and choose wisely when no option is perfect. It is exercised in real operating conditions through executing tasks, making trade-offs, and balancing profit, people, and the planet.

True leadership operates in a world where problems are rarely simple and solutions are seldom clean. Success depends on real work, not slogans: careful planning, responsible execution, and the discipline to learn from both successes and mistakes. The ultimate litmus test is performance rooted in ethics.

To achieve this, real leaders listen not only to external feedback, but also to their conscience. Substance requires authenticity: the discipline to practise what one preaches. What leaders think, what they say, and what they do must be aligned. Without authenticity, trust erodes. And without trust, there is no leadership.

At zubedy, this same belief guides our work with organisations to help leaders translate values into judgement, and judgement into consistent action, especially when it matters most.

 

Let us add value,

Have A Meaningful Christmas.

Peace, anas

* Picture caption

In a world that rewards charisma, Pope Francis (1936–2025) shows that judgment, listening, and substance are still the most powerful leadership skills of all.

MENGAPA PULAU PINANG PATUT MEMBAYAR SEWA YANG LEBIH TINGGI KEPADA KEDAH, MENGAPA SINGAPURA PATUT MEMBAYAR LEBIH UNTUK AIR KEPADA MALAYSIA

“Diterjemah oleh AI: ChatGPT.”

Patut atau Tak Patut?

Ketika saya masih kecil, saya sering mendengar ayah, pakcik dan para orang tua menggunakan perkataan patut dan tak patut. Perkataan yang nampak mudah ini sebenarnya penuh makna. Ia digunakan ketika menilai tingkah laku seseorang, apabila membincangkan sama ada sesuatu tindakan itu wajar atau tidak, dan ketika mempertimbangkan kewajaran sesuatu keputusan. Lama sebelum saya memahami fikiran orang dewasa, saya sudah mengerti apa itu patut. Ia soal keseimbangan, keadilan dan melakukan perkara yang benar.

Konsep patut dan tak patut berakar kuat dalam budaya Melayu. Dan kerana budaya Melayu menjadi asas budaya Malaysia, konsep ini adalah milik kita semua. Kita sebagai rakyat Malaysia mewarisi satu rangka etika Melayu yang kaya dan mendalam. Nilai-nilai ini merangkumi pelbagai bidang. Ada nilai hubungan yang mengajar cara kita melayan satu sama lain. Ada nilai moral yang membantu kita menilai betul dan salah di luar undang-undang bertulis. Ada nilai kecerdasan emosi seperti hati, budi dan rasa yang membantu kita memahami apa yang sopan, sesuai dan penuh timbang rasa. Ada nilai masyarakat yang berkaitan dengan rasa malu, maruah dan harga diri.

Terdapat juga nilai kewujudan seperti takdir dan rezeki yang mengajar kita sifat rendah hati, sabar dan reda. Ada nilai keharmonian sosial yang menekankan kesederhanaan, apa yang elok dan apa yang manis, supaya keseimbangan masyarakat terpelihara. Ada nilai berkaitan organisasi dan tanggungjawab seperti amanah dan usaha, yang mengingatkan kita tentang kewajipan yang perlu ditunaikan dengan jujur. Ada nilai batas diri seperti tahu diri yang menjaga peranan dan had yang sesuai. Dan akhirnya, ada nilai pengurusan konflik dan etika berbicara seperti berkias dan berbahasa, yang mengajar kita bercakap dengan bijaksana, halus dan penuh hormat.

Konsep patut dan tak patut ialah meta-konsep yang merentas semua kategori ini. Ia paling rapat dengan domain keharmonian sosial, kerana ia menjaga keseimbangan hubungan masyarakat. Namun, ia juga berkaitan rapat dengan moral, kerana ia menilai keadilan di luar undang-undang. Ia hidup dalam dunia emosi dan budi kerana ia memerlukan kepekaan dan empati. Ia juga bergantung kepada nilai masyarakat kerana ia berkait dengan maruah dan harga diri.

Untuk memahami patut, kita mesti menyelami kedalamannya. Ia jauh melampaui makna “appropriate” dan “inappropriate” dalam bahasa Inggeris. Patut ialah satu piawaian gabungan yang merangkumi adab (kesantunan), akhlak (watak), budi (kearifan budaya) dan kewajaran (common sense). Bila seseorang berkata, “Dia buat macam tu tak patut”, itu bukan sekadar komen tentang tindakan yang salah. Ia bermakna tindakan itu telah melanggar jangkaan moral, adat budaya dan tanggungjawab hubungan sekaligus. Patut bukan sekadar apa yang dibenarkan—ia adalah apa yang adil, wajar dan bermaruah. Tak patut pula bukan sekadar salah—ia ialah sesuatu yang tidak wajar, tidak adil atau tidak seimbang, walaupun tiada undang-undang dilanggar.

Mari kita gunakan lensa budaya yang mendalam ini untuk memahami dua isu besar negara: perdebatan Kedah–Pulau Pinang dan pertikaian air Malaysia–Singapura.

Persoalan sama ada Pulau Pinang pernah dipajakkan kepada Kedah sudah lama diperdebatkan. Ada ahli sejarah menyatakan bahawa “pajakan 1786” hanyalah mitos kolonial. Tiada perjanjian muktamad pernah ditemui, hanya surat dan catatan tidak rasmi. Dari sudut ini, pemisahan Pulau Pinang merupakan tindakan British, bukan perjanjian sah. Maka rasa tidak puas hati Kedah difahami dari segi moral, walaupun mungkin tidak dari segi undang-undang.

Sebahagian lain, terutamanya dalam naratif tradisional Kedah, percaya bahawa memang wujud persefahaman, tetapi British tidak menunaikannya. Kedah membenarkan kehadiran British dengan harapan mendapat perlindungan daripada Siam dan Burma. Namun perlindungan itu tidak berlaku. Serangan balas Kedah pada tahun 1791 dianggap bukti bahawa syarat asal telah dilanggar. Ada juga pandangan akademik yang menyatakan bahawa memang wujud rundingan dan pembayaran tahunan, namun kedua-dua pihak mentafsirkan syarat secara berbeza. Kedah menganggapnya pajakan, British menganggapnya penyerahan.

Selepas merdeka, Malaysia tetap membayar RM10 juta setahun kepada Kedah sebagai isyarat simbolik. Ia bukan pengiktirafan pemilikan, tetapi cara mengekalkan keharmonian tanpa membuka semula pertikaian lama. Namun ada suara politik yang mendakwa Pulau Pinang ialah tanah pinjam. Tetapi dari sudut perlembagaan, dakwaan ini tidak berasas. Perlembagaan Persekutuan mengatasi semua perjanjian era kolonial. Pulau Pinang ialah negeri Malaysia secara sah.

Isu air Malaysia–Singapura pula penuh dengan dimensi undang-undang, ekonomi, diplomatik dan emosi. Singapura berpegang teguh pada Perjanjian Air 1962, yang menetapkan harga RM0.03 bagi setiap 1,000 gelen air mentah. Bagi mereka, harga tidak boleh diubah sewenang-wenangnya. Mereka juga menegaskan pelaburan besar dalam infrastruktur air berdasarkan perjanjian itu.

Malaysia pula melihat harga tersebut sebagai tidak lagi munasabah. Harga RM0.03 ditetapkan lebih 60 tahun lalu. Perjanjian itu sebenarnya membenarkan semakan harga selepas 1987, tetapi ia tidak pernah dilaksanakan. Ramai melihat perkara ini sebagai kegagalan menilai sumber sendiri. Ada juga pandangan diplomatik yang mengatakan perjanjian itu, walaupun tidak sempurna, membantu mengekalkan kestabilan dua hala. Namun sentimen rakyat Malaysia sering dipengaruhi memori sejarah yang melihat harga RM0.03 sebagai tidak adil.

Secara peribadi, saya percaya Perlembagaan Persekutuan mengatasi segala perjanjian lama. Tetapi kita tetap perlu bertanya: apakah yang patut, dan apakah yang tak patut?

Mari kita lihat isu air terlebih dahulu. Harga yang wajar mesti mengambil kira tiga perkara: kewujudan perjanjian asal, pelaburan besar Singapura dalam infrastruktur, dan nilai sebenar air hari ini. Rumah tangga di Johor dan negeri lain membayar RM0.60 hingga RM1.20 per m³ untuk air terawat, dan kos rawatan penuh hampir RM1.75 per m³. Air mentah ialah sebahagian daripada kos ini, tetapi tetap mempunyai nilai.

Dengan menilai air mentah pada 10–20% daripada kos rawatan penuh, harga wajar air mentah ialah antara RM0.175 dan RM0.35 per m³. Ditukar kepada ukuran asal perjanjian, iaitu 1,000 gelen, harga wajar ialah antara RM0.66 dan RM1.33. Setelah dibundarkan kepada angka praktikal, harga munasabah berada antara RM0.95 dan RM1.50 per 1,000 gelen. Ini 30–50 kali ganda lebih tinggi daripada RM0.03, tetapi masih jauh lebih rendah daripada harga air terawat di Singapura.

Jadi harga wajar ialah RM0.66 hingga RM1.33 per 1,000 gelen. Tetapi Singapura masih membayar RM0.03.

Patut atau tak patut?

Kini mari kita lihat isu Pulau Pinang–Kedah dari sudut ekonomi. Dengan nilai tanah purata RM200 sekaki persegi, nilai keseluruhan tanah Pulau Pinang dianggarkan RM2.25 trilion. Berdasarkan kadar hasil sewaan tanah antara 3–4%, sewa tahunan wajar bagi sebuah negeri bernilai RM2.25 trilion ialah antara RM60 bilion dan RM90 bilion setahun.

Namun Kedah hanya menerima RM10 juta setahun. Ini hanyalah 0.017% daripada nilai sebenar Pulau Pinang. Ringkasnya, bagi setiap RM1 yang dibayar, nilai sebenarnya ialah kira-kira RM6,000.

Patut atau tak patut?

“Minang dupo, minang amu.” – Peribahasa Bidayuh bermaksud “beri dengan adil, terima dengan adil.”

“Lun kenep peang, lun kenep tinen.” – Peribahasa Orang Ulu bermaksud seseorang mesti menyeimbangkan akal dan hati.

“Kosundu do tulun, kosundu do kopioh.” – Pepatah Kadazan bermaksud manusia yang seimbang membina komuniti yang seimbang.

“Agi idup, agi ngelaban.” – Pepatah Iban bermaksud selagi hidup, lakukan yang benar dan tegakkan keadilan.

Marilah kita menjadi rakyat Malaysia yang lebih baik. Lakukan apa yang patut dan jauhi apa yang tak patut.

Salam,
Anas Zubedy
Kuala Lumpur

WHY PENANG SHOULD PAY MORE LEASE TO KEDAH, WHY SINGAPORE SHOULD PAY MORE FOR WATER TO MALAYSIA

Patut atau Tak Patut?

When I was a little boy, I often heard my dad, uncles and elders use the words patut and tak patut. These simple words carried weight. They were used when evaluating someone’s behaviour, when discussing whether an action was appropriate, or when judging the fairness of a decision. Long before I understood adult reasoning, I understood patut. It was about balance, fairness and the right thing to do.

The concept of patut and tak patut is deeply rooted in Malay culture. And because Malay culture forms the bedrock of Malaysian culture, these concepts belong to all of us. In fact, we Malaysians inherit a rich body of Malay ethical concepts. These concepts span across several domains. There are relational values that teach us how we treat one another. There are moral values that help us judge right and wrong beyond written rules. There are emotional-intelligent values grounded in the ideas of hati, budi and rasa, helping us sense what is appropriate, considerate and kind. There are community-enforced values that relate to shame, honour and dignity, shaping behaviour because we know what the community expects.

There are existential and fate-related ideas such as takdir and rezeki, which teach humility, patience and acceptance. There are social-harmony and balance values that emphasise moderation, the idea of what is elok and what is manis, ensuring we preserve harmony. There are organisational and duty-based ethics that focus on amanah and usaha, reminding us to fulfil responsibilities honourably. There are boundary-setting and humility values such as tahu diri that help us respect limits and roles. And finally, there are conflict-management and speech-ethics values such as berkias and berbahasa, guiding us to communicate with tact, subtlety and respect.

The concept of patut and tak patut is a meta-concept that weaves through several of these categories. It fits most naturally within the domain of social harmony and balance, because it is about what keeps society on an even keel. But it also belongs within moral reasoning, because it deals with fairness beyond legal boundaries. It sits within emotional-intelligent thinking, because it requires sensitivity, empathy and budi. It also lives within the community-enforced realm, because it relates to shame, honour and dignity.

To understand patut, we must appreciate its depth. The Malay idea of patut dan tak patut goes far beyond the English words “appropriate and inappropriate”. It is a blended standard that combines adab, which relates to courtesy, akhlak which relates to character, budi which reflects cultural wisdom, and kewajaran which is common sense and logic. When Malays say “Dia buat macam tu tak patut”, they are not merely judging the act. They are saying it violates moral expectations, cultural norms and relational obligations all at once. Patut is not simply what is allowed. It is what is reasonable, fair and morally proper. Tak patut is not simply what is wrong. It is what is unreasonable, unfair or out of balance. It disturbs social harmony even if no written rule is broken. By guiding us toward balance, consideration and respect, patut dan tak patut preserves the social fabric.

Let us use this foundational cultural lens to understand two major issues: the Penang–Kedah debate and the Malaysia–Singapore water dispute.

The question of whether Penang was ever leased from Kedah has long been debated. Historians, politicians and members of the public hold different views. Some historians argue that the so-called 1786 lease is a colonial myth. They point out that no signed agreement exists, only letters, drafts and informal notes. From this perspective, Penang’s separation from Kedah was not contractual but the result of British seizure. Kedah’s sense of injustice is therefore morally understandable even though it may not be legally enforceable.

Others, particularly in Kedah’s traditional narrative, maintain that an understanding did exist but that the British failed to honour it. Kedah allowed British presence in return for protection against Siam and Burma. That protection did not materialise. Kedah’s attempt to retake Penang in 1791 is seen as evidence that the original understanding was conditional and violated. An academic middle-ground view notes that agreements, annual payments and negotiations did take place, but the terms were vague and interpreted differently by each side. Kedah viewed it as a lease or pajakan, while the British treated it as cession. This ambiguity explains why the matter has never been settled conclusively.

After independence, Malaysia continued paying Kedah a small annual sum, now RM10,000,000, as a symbolic gesture. This is not a recognition of ownership but a way to maintain harmony without reopening old wounds. On the other hand, some political voices, especially within Kedah, claim Penang is borrowed land that should return to Kedah. They point to the symbolic payment as proof of ownership. Legally, however, this claim has no foundation. The Federal Constitution overrides all colonial-era understandings. Legally and constitutionally, Penang is a state of Malaysia. The debate therefore lies mainly in history, emotion and perception.

The Malaysia–Singapore water issue is also shaped by multiple viewpoints. Singapore holds tightly to the position that the 1962 Water Agreement is a binding international treaty guaranteed during the 1965 separation. From their viewpoint, the RM0.03 per 1,000 gallons rate cannot be changed unilaterally. Any adjustment must be mutual. Singapore also emphasises the billions spent on dams, pipelines, reservoirs and treatment plants that were constructed based on this agreement.

Malaysia’s perspective is different. The RM0.03 price was set more than 60 years ago during a vastly different economic era. Malaysia argues that the agreement contains a review clause after 1987, and that failing to update the price undervalues our water resources and national dignity. A related Malaysian legal reading refers to Clause 14, which explicitly allows a price review. Some argue Malaysia simply never exercised this right due to political considerations.

Another group views the issue from a diplomatic standpoint. They argue that despite imperfections, the agreement underpins stability between the two nations. Sudden changes could cause disruptions. For them, cooperation on sustainability, river health and security is more important than confrontation. Public opinion in Malaysia, however, is influenced by historical memory. Many feel the RM0.03 rate is a relic of colonial imbalance.

And finally, environmental experts note that the real issue may not be the price but the sustainability of the Johor River, which faces pollution, overuse and climate pressures. At times, Singapore has even supplied treated water to Johor in emergencies. Sustainability may matter more than old agreements.

Personally, I believe our Federal Constitution supersedes all earlier agreements, written or unwritten. Yet even with that belief, we still have to ask the cultural question: what is patut and what is tak patut?

Let us look at the water issue first. A fair and reasonable price must take into account three realities. First, the historical deal exists and Singapore has honoured a long-term agreement. Second, Singapore has invested heavily in water infrastructure, so it is not merely a buyer of raw water. Third, today’s value of water in Malaysia must be recognised. Households in Johor and other states pay between RM0.60 and RM1.20 per m³ for treated water, and the full cost of treatment is closer to RM1.75 per m³. Raw water forms only one component of this cost, but it is still a valuable resource with an opportunity cost.

A practical way to determine a fair value is to consider raw water as 10–20 percent of the full treatment cost. Using the estimated full cost of RM1.75 per m³, raw water should fall between RM0.175 and RM0.35 per m³. When converted into the treaty’s original measurement of 1,000 gallons, this becomes roughly RM0.66 to RM1.33. Rounded to a clean, workable figure, a fair band would be between RM0.95 and RM1.50 per 1,000 gallons. This is between 30 and 50 times higher than today’s outdated RM0.03 rate, yet still much lower than what Singapore households pay for fully treated water.

This range balances fairness with Singapore’s investment and the real value of Malaysian water. So the fair value is between RM0.66 and RM1.33 per 1,000 gallons. But today Singapore pays only RM0.03.

Patut atau tak patut?

Now let us examine the Penang–Kedah question from an economic perspective. Although no official source publishes Penang’s total land value, we can estimate it using land area multiplied by average land price.

Penang comprises 1,044 km², or about 11.24 billion square feet. In 2025, Penang Island’s prime areas such as George Town, Bayan Lepas, Tanjung Tokong and Jelutong range between RM300 and RM2,000 per square foot, with the island-wide average around RM350 to RM450. Seberang Perai ranges between RM50 and RM200 per square foot, giving an average of RM70 to RM120.

When combined, a realistic statewide average is around RM180 to RM220 per square foot. Using a midpoint of RM200, Penang’s total land value stands at about RM2.25 trillion.

To determine a fair annual lease, we apply land-lease economics. Residential properties in Malaysia typically yield between 2 and 4 percent annually. Commercial properties yield between 5 and 7 percent. Industrial land yields between 4 and 6 percent. Government concessions such as ports and reclaimed land often use yields between 3 and 5 percent.

For something as large and complex as a state, a fair benchmark is about 3 to 4 percent. Applying this to Penang’s total land value, 3 percent of RM2.25 trillion is RM67.5 billion, while 4 percent is RM90 billion. This gives us a fair leasing range of RM60 billion to RM90 billion per year.

In reality, Kedah receives only RM10 million. This means the symbolic payment represents only 0.017 percent of Penang’s true value. Put differently, for every RM1 paid, the real value is about RM6,000.

Again, patut atau tak patut?

“Minang dupo, minang amu.” - A Bidayuh proverb meaning “give fairly, receive fairly.”

“Lun kenep peang, lun kenep tinen.” - An Orang Ulu proverb meaning a person must balance the head and the heart.

“Kosundu do tulun, kosundu do kopioh.” - A Kadazan saying meaning a balanced person builds a balanced community.

“Agi idup, agi ngelaban.” - An Iban saying meaning as long as you live, do what is right and stand up for fairness.

Let us be better Malaysians and do what is patut and avoid what is tak patut.

Peace,

Anas Zubedy

Kuala Lumpur