THE good, the bad and the ugly. 2020 is certainly an interesting year. While most of us anticipated it to be a great year, as the months went by, our hopes and dreams for 2020 turned bleak.
First, Covid-19 happened. Then the never-ending power struggle after Tun Dr Mahathir Mohamad resigned as prime minister.
As 2021 is fast approaching, it is a good time to reflect on how these events have contributed to Malaysia's public diplomacy and soft power. One of Malaysia's strongest public diplomacy assets lies in its citizens.
Despite government policies laid out, it is equally important that these agendas are reflected in reality. Covid-19 has proven to be hard enough for Malaysia, but the political situation is not being helpful.
As widely reported, many businesses suffered, people lost their jobs and the unemployment rate increased. Citizens, on the other hand, believe they need to take matters into their hands to help fellow citizens.
Since the beginning of the Movement Control Order, citizens, celebrities and non-governmental organisations have never tired of helping those who are in an unfortunate situation.
It is beautiful to see them helping frontliners, who are working day and night to keep people and their beloved country safe.
Animals are also not left behind during the pandemic. There are many heart-warming moments shared on media platforms.
These moments have generated interest internationally. Malaysia is back in the limelight. But it is for a good reason. The World Health Organisation praised Malaysia and remarked that the nation was united during the pandemic.
It helps in terms of managing the country's image, all thanks to these remarkable everyday ambassadors. It is interesting to see that many good stories about Malaysia are coming from its citizens.
Whenever there are negative stories, which are mostly about politics, stories about people's good deeds are a good counterpoint. This is true Malaysian citizen diplomacy, which becomes an agent of the country's public diplomacy.
There is a reason Malaysia is known as a caring society. It is not because it's an image that the government is trying to push through campaigns, but it is a value that is ingrained in Malaysian culture.
The most recent hero hailed by citizens is Ebit Liew. It is hard to discredit his efforts to help others. He helps underprivileged citizens regardless of race and religion. He went to Zoo Negara when news about its food shortage appeared.
He opened many eyes to overlooked issues in the country. It is not an exaggeration to say that Ebit Liew is a symbol of soft power. He is respected by many for his actions.
Another person is Samuel Isaiah, who was nominated for the 2020 Global Teacher Prize for his outstanding contributions to Orang Asli education.
The whole country was cheering for him. We need more stories like these to boost our country's image. However, the burden should not be on citizens alone. Perhaps it is time for politicians to learn a thing or two from these everyday ambassadors.
Put your differences aside and work towards the greater good. American political scientist Joseph Nye was right.
Efforts to boost soft power rely on culture, values and policies. But smart public diplomacy requires the acknowledgment of the roles of credibility, self-criticism and civil society in generating soft power.
In Malaysia's case, the citizens have nailed it through citizen diplomacy.
The writer is senior lecturer at the Department of Communication, Faculty of Modern Language and Communication, Universiti Putra Malaysia and can be reached at diyana.nawar@upm.edu.my