COMMENT | I’ve always believed that capitalism, conservatism, and socially acceptable superstition are evils that have held humanity back, keeping us divided while the planet is on an abysmal collision course.

As a youth, I dreamt of a secular, progressive society in which the main motivations are not material gains, and we are not segregated by ethnicity, religion, and class.

Having been this way since my teens, I eventually realised that I will die before such a system can ever take hold in my country.

Nonetheless, I remind myself that we have to take comfort in small victories.

The Mahathirist Malaysia of my younger days counted virtually unchecked political control, blatant media suppression, an emasculated judiciary and a ban on student politics among its many charms.

We have moved on quite a lot in terms of...