MAY 6 — As we celebrate the first anniversary of the Pakatan Harapan victory in winning the 14th General Elections, and forming and running the new federal government, it is natural to ask — how well has the government done?
Many Malaysians, if not most of them will say — they have done well under the trying circumstances but they could have done much better!
Most Malaysians, including those in the Cabinet, least expected Pakatan Harapan, to win GE14 anyway. That is why they boldly drew up an ambitious manifesto which they now find it difficult to fulfill on time.
PH government has been fighting against many odds
However, in all fairness to the PH government of today, it did not, understandably, realise the huge rot that had sealed into the whole administrative system.
The rotten challenges were inter alia, as follows:
1. The corruption and decay that was rife from top to bottom of government that was sadly led by some of the top most leaders and officials themselves!
2. The bias and consequent professional weakening in the whole civil and public services caused by about 60 years of one political party dominant rule.
3. Blind loyalty that had developed in many civil servants to serve party politics, rather than following the time tested traditional good values of the civil service. That we faithfully served God, king and country, with neutrality, intellectual integrity and a much deeper sense of honesty. Today it may be somewhat different.
4. The ministers in the past were also understandably, more experienced. They may have encouraged the growth of many little Napoleons, but they could control them. But today many of the little Napoleons are resisting the less experienced ministers. So the new PH ministers have now to bring them under stronger control and better manage these little Napoleons, or lose out!
5. Cronies were pervasive before and their negative influences on the administration have to be more strongly resisted, to reduce the rot that had sunk into the administrative system. That is why the destructive practice of money politics has to be severely controlled soon.
Hence, as our prime minister has repeated many times, the government is now facing many challenges, in wanting to move forward, more speedily and efficiently, to score better records in its accomplishments.
But as a former senior civil servant, I know our PTD Alumni believes that with the right persuasions and more dignified treatment towards the civil service, the government can and will overcome any obstacles to faster national progress and wellbeing.
But what the government has achieved has to be better publicised. Hence it would be useful if there can be public reports every 1-3 months on government accomplishments. But we need to also give the government a bit more time!
Let’s give the PH government another year to overcome the poor public ratings!
For the above reasons, it is only fair and reasonable to give the present new PH government at least another year to achieve more success and at a faster pace. This will help win much more public and voter support for the PH government!
The reliable recent Merdeka survey has already shown that public and popular rating of the government has been declining. This is not a healthy trend in public opinion as it could show waning support.
This poor rating could be due to mainly the following reasons:
1. The inadequate consultation with the public and with the Opposition over, for instance, the ratification of the Rome Statute and other international conventions. In fact some ministries have been criticised for not taking the public and professionals into greater confidence before introducing important policies that could badly affect stake holders.
Thus there is consequent public rejection and resentment which could have been avoided in the first place. A good example is the teaching of the essential English language for greater progress.
2. On the other hand, some policies that are in the best national and public interests have to be implemented with greater courage and conviction. Hence the public has to be assured that the full truth be told about the alleged enforced disappearance of Malaysians.
Fear is created and confidence suffers by playing down the Suhakam Report on this sensitive security and public safety issue.
3. Foreign labour has been a source of sore concern for Malaysians and especially our labour movement. Even our large numbers of unemployed suffer due to our past flip flop labour policies. Can’t we come out with more sustainable policies and practices to suit employers, employees and foreign workers as well?
4. The minimum wage could be raised to RM1,500 much earlier rather than wait and postpone decisions so many times. Income disparities are widening here and all over the world and are causing much frustration and misery, to hard working Malaysian workers. Yet we seem to drag our feet.
Unfortunately our government gives the impression that we and the government which represents us are anti labour and are more supportive of the rich capitalists?
This is not right nor proper and builds up public resentment. It even nurtures social unrest and upheaval and bad anti social and dangerous elements, that are extremely difficult to control later!
Hence, we need to have a minimum wage which is adequate as a living wage as well, before it’s too late to prevent ugly developments!
5. The cost of living is high and rising. Thus we have to introduce an anti inflation package to lower the cost of living as soon as possible. The rakyat keeps asking how much the government has done so far and why so little has been achieved to lower prices of at least, the basic goods and services consumed, by the poor?
Can for instance, the supplies of food be increased by more competition and less protection? This act of encouraging more competition alone, would help to lower rising prices.
Conclusion
We can understand the severe challenges faced by the new government after so many recent years of mismanagement and corruption, cronyism and the wastage of public funds!
Hence it may be too much to expect a stronger turnaround too soon. But where there is unfair resistance to transformation and change for the better, the government has to be tougher and forge ahead, especially when race, religion and royalty issues are wrongly used to protect narrow vested interests.
Racism and religious bigotry should be resisted more strongly!
I am sure, we all appeal to the new PH government to move more resolutely to serve the righteous national and public interests of the rakyat for which they will get the people’s stronger support and backing for better ratings!
Then we will all as Malaysians be able to help to build a better Malaysia for a better record and ratings, for more peace, prosperity and national unity in the future!
* Tan Sri Ramon Navaratnam is chairman of Asli Centre of Public Policy Studies.
** This is the personal opinion of the writer or publication and does not necessarily represent the views of Malay Mail.
