WELL, well, darlings, Malaysia’s maroon passport is flexing again! Ranked among the world’s most powerful in 2025, it is now practically a golden ticket.
We can stroll into 180 countries visa-free or visa-on-arrival, flash that passport like Beyoncé at the Grammys, and boom – “Welcome to Paris, Miss Malaysia”.
Aren’t we proud? Of course, we are! But here’s the cheeky question lurking in Makcik’s mind: Our passport opens doors globally, yes, but can our leadership keep those doors open sustainably?
Because, sayang, the world may adore our charm but diplomacy and perception are fragile. It takes one tone-deaf policy, one careless quote or one viral scandal to make those visa waivers disappear faster than free buffet food at a government seminar.
A symbol of who we are
Our passport isn’t just paper and laminate; it is our reputation in travel form. It says, “We’re trusted, we’re friendly, we play nice with others”. That ranking didn’t happen overnight; it’s the result of decades of careful diplomacy, neutrality and Malaysia’s special talent for being the peacemaker in a noisy neighbourhood.
But this honour, darling, is not just for the foreign ministry to flex at high-level briefings; it is also a mirror for our domestic leadership – a reminder that trust, like visa privileges, must be earned and maintained.
When the world sees Malaysians travelling freely, they are not just seeing citizens; they are seeing the product of leadership decisions that kept our image clean, our borders stable and our diplomacy consistent. With the Asean Summit happening now, that symbolism couldn’t be louder.
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Leadership, Asean-style
Every Asean gathering comes with the same question whispered over teh tarik: Who’s leading and who’s following?
True leadership isn’t about who speaks the loudest at the podium or whose motorcade has more police escorts; it is about who listens, who builds bridges and who brings calm when others bring chaos.
Malaysia has long been seen as the voice of reason – a country that can talk to everyone, without shouting at anyone. That is our secret sauce, sayang! A little humility, a lot of diplomacy and a pinch of “okay-lah, let’s find middle ground”.
If we want to keep that reputation shining, our leadership at every level needs to mirror that same quality. Leaders must lead with empathy, not ego; with curiosity, not condescension. The world respects consistency, not slogans.
Domestic grace, global respect
Let’s be honest: you can’t build global respect if your house is messy. Good governance, accountability and unity at home translate into credibility abroad.
If our leaders showed the same care managing the rakyat’s concerns as they do arranging bilateral photo ops, we’d be unstoppable.
Imagine if policy decisions were treated with the same urgency as an Asean flight itinerary, we’d have solved half our national headaches by now.
The world doesn’t judge Malaysia by our airports or skyscrapers, sayang; they judge us by how we treat our people, our environment and our neighbours.
A good passport gets us into the room but good leadership makes others want to keep us there.
Lessons from the ‘maroon book’
Maybe, just maybe, our passport can teach our leaders a few lessons.
Lesson One: It travels far because it respects rules.
Lesson Two: It’s welcomed everywhere because it doesn’t make drama.
Lesson Three: It gets renewed every five years – a gentle reminder that power, too, should never be assumed as permanent.
See, darling, leadership and passports have one thing in common – both require renewal, responsibility and a bit of humility. You can’t just hold it up for photos – you must live up to what it represents.
Way forward
As the Asean Summit unfolds – with cameras flashing, speeches flowing and batik shirts gleaming – the Marinated Makcik humbly hopes our leaders remember this:
Malaysia’s global reputation is like its sambal – balanced, bold and best when handled with care. Lead with sincerity, nurture public trust and maintain the respect that our passport symbolises. At the end of the day, it’s not about how many countries we can enter; it’s about how many hearts and partners we can keep. And darling, that’s the kind of world power you can’t laminate.
Makcik’s closing kicker: A strong passport opens borders but a strong Malaysia opens minds, builds bridges and earns respect that no visa can buy.
Azura Abas is the associate editor of theSun. Comments: letters@thesundaily.com
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