INTERVIEW | Senator Fadhlina Sidek believes that the political culture in Malaysia needs an overhaul, with a focus on ideas and principles instead of the people bashing one another based on identity, personalities, race and religion.

“It seems like it is quite difficult now to have this culture of intellectual discourse. This engagement is actually more important and it should be more significant for us to talk about great policies and the contest of ideas.

“Right now we are instead having unpleasant exchanges with political leaders, even questioning the faiths of others,” Fadhlina, 45, told Malaysiakini in an exclusive interview.

She was referring to PAS president Abdul Hadi Awang, who said three weeks ago that the Islamist party will not form any partnership with Pakatan Harapan because many of its leaders are “non-believers and immoral”.

“I think we should encourage dialogue and debate, but we should not allow some politicians to say...