Simplicity is the ultimate sophistication.
— Leonardo da Vinci, Italian polymath
The best and only way to understand something complex or complicated is to employ the simplest available explanation. In philosophy, Occam’s razor is the problem-solving principle that recommends searching for the simplest explanations that yield permanent solutions.
Occam’s razor is a remarkable tool to fathom Malaysia’s political narrative with its unconscionable policies that are unscrupulously designed to confuse and confound even the sincere inquirer.
Article 153 Federal Constitution under Occam’s razor eviscerates the “special position” status for some segments of Malaysian society while pure grit, determination and meritocracy define and describe “the legitimate interests of other communities.”
Today, it is acutely obvious that post-Merdeka governments have abused, underused and misused the “special position” status that was primarily meant to offer a state-sponsored boost and bolster to instilldiscipline, meritocracy and excellence.
Post-May 13, 1969, further galvanised the “special position” narrative with the ubiquitous National Economic Policy (NEP). After all, Article 8(2) Federal Constitution literally allows discrimination if “expressly authorised by this Constitution,” sayeth Occam’s razor too.
Political reality with the permanent NEP – now called by another name — must feel the sting of Occam’s razor to transform flawed politics into common sense politics. Lots to learn from Trump 47 as he drains the stinky swamp.
Sarawak’s resources should blaze a new trail by introducing and including Occam’s razor as a study tool. How to study outranks what to study. Sadly, Malaysia;s educational emphasis is abysmally behind times. Parents should demand value for their fundamental liberties.
Occam’s razor at the cause, course, cost and curse of corruption is scripturally enumerated in the Holy Quran (English version) — that consuming wealth in a wrong way (bathil) is strictly forbidden, and corruption is one of the wrong ways (Tafsir Surah An-Nahl verse 95).
Yet, many are tempted, and succumb to this self-imposed fatal wound that never heals. Simply put — greed mitigated by begging for divine forgiveness is simply hypocrisy, mockery and superstition.
The Holy Bible warns that the love of money is the root of all evil — 1 Timothy 6:10. This has not stopped the choices people make to literally fall for the wrong kind of love. What’s the point of divine revelation when disobedience rules and reignsthrough hypocritical acts of contrition and repentance?
Occam’s razor exposes human-inspired deviancy toreligion and interpreting divine revelation. The uncontrollable love of money is squarely placed on the sagging and sloppy shoulders of human nature!
Occam’s razor can be ruthless and merciless in explaining why religious values and religion per seare susceptible to devious and deviant politics while making a mockery of the administration of justice.
Most atheists say that belief is unreliable because it is forced upon people without evidence and proof. Diehard believers dismiss it by claiming that the sensory organs are irresponsible and irrelevant whenexercising (blind) faith.
When discerning Malaysian politics, it is irresistibleto conclude that Occam’s razor – in its solutions’creating nature — can be ruthlessly and brutally honestby taking prisoners when it slices and dices the real, the unreal. and the surreal
The accused bribe-taker qualifies for criminal prosecution, and that’s when the fireworks begin. A trial in a court of law is a gladiatorial word-salad arena where the grandstanding of phonology, semantics, syntax, hermeneutics, morphology and pragmatics — the Shady Six — is inevitable.
A seasoned lawyer will summon the Shady Six from Occam’s razor’s arsenal to free his or her client’s innocence given the vagaries and ambiguities in written laws with the controlled exposure and simpleexplanations of probative facts.
The Shady Six interspersed with expert use of tautology (saying the same thing twice or more using different words and phrases) can free the client without a jury to weigh and consider the facts. Horror stories await the avid researcher.
The recent spate of DNAA pronouncements is another phenomenon that summons Occam’s razor to simplify the dynamics. The unwitting culprit is the common law which allows the judiciary to become a super-legislature.
Article 162(6) Federal Constitution is the judiciary’s Occam’s razor to simplify, amend, modify, adjust,and even repeal post-Merdeka legislation to fatten the corpus of Malaysian common law.
Caveat: Law students and aspiring lawyers must study the political narrative while journeying through the thickets and brambles of the common law. Keep your tools sharpened and honed.
In 1954, the British case Ladd v. Marshall declared new evidence as admissible even after passing judgment. It was affirmed in 2009 in Muscat v Health Professions Council. The plot thickens depending on the identities of the litigants.
The proposed Malaysian aid to Palestine despite Trump 47’s plans to rebuild Gaza will impose unnecessary embargos upon Malaysian exports. Why throw our money when someone else is willing to? Besides, Palestinians should welcome American rebuilding of Gaza.
Foreign affairs represent a formidable reality. Asean is a toothless tiger without military muscle like NATO. And now, there is AUKUS in the region. Malaysia should use the Occam’s razor to sharpen its focus on meaningful assets, strategies and advantages.
Occam’s razor is the only psychological tool available to put up with the nature and demands of life. ‘Life is really simple, but we insist on making it complicated,’ lamented Confucius in an obvious reference to psychological impairment.
Malaysia should aspire to become, at least, a global soft-power giant if meritocracy is allowed to flourish.
The views expressed here are those of the columnist and do not necessarily represent the views of Sarawak Tribune.
