As a dreamer and idealist, there are times when I dream of things/situations which could come true - not with the wave of a magic wand but during clean polls when citizens voice their choices via the ballot box. In this day and age, is good governance a dream that can never come true? Are we damned to be les misérables of Malaysia in a burning sinking ship?
Wikipedia defines governance as "an indeterminate term used in development literature to describe how public institutions conduct public affairs and manage public resources in order to guarantee the realization of human rights. Governance describes "the process of decision-making and the process by which decisions are implemented (or not implemented)". The term governance can apply to corporate, international, national, local governance or to the interactions between other sectors of society."
I dare say that bad/poor governance is one of the key sources of evil within our society. Through governance, officials can partake in the process of decision-making and implement decisions/policies be it in corporately, internationally, nationally or even locally.
A myriad of key players are involved in governance. Obviously, the government is the most important player in governance. Other would be the rich/wealthy/influential personalities in society, political parties, associations, NGOs, research institutes, religious leaders, finance institutions political parties, the military etc.
With the exception of the government and the military, the others are grouped together as part of "civil society" who are playing more important roles today. As a member of civil society, I really dream that good governance can exist in our country. Our government must be participatory and consensus oriented that there can be good exchange of ideas and perspectives.
Participation by the rakyat is a key cornerstone of good governance. This participation must be one that is informed and organized. If freedom of association and expression is allowed to thrive, in an organized civil society, the rakyat and government can work together.
If the government strives towards good governance, it will naturally be accountable, transparent, responsive, effective and efficient, equitable and inclusive to minimize corruption and to show consideration to the views of minorities and the most vulnerable in society when making decisions. Our country certainly needs fair legal frameworks that are enforced impartially. There must be full protection of human rights, an independent judiciary and an impartial and incorruptible police force.
A good government must be responsive to the present and future needs of society and they can only know that if they have men and women of honor and integrity at the helm of power.
Decisions taken and policy enforcement must be carried out according to rules and regulations with information freely made available and accessible to the rakyat by giving them opportunities to improve or maintain their well being.
With good governance, policies, processes and institutions produce results that meet the needs of society while making the best use of available resources in a sustainable way while observing conservation principles. Is this happening where our forest reserves and construction of dams are concerned, especially in East Malaysia? All this means that we need a government that believes in accountability which in reality, cannot be enforced unless there is transparency and the rule of law. Is this only a utopian dream for Malaysia?
In closing, let's listen to "I Dreamed a Dream" by Susan Boyle. It is a song from the musical Les Misérables that is sung by the character Fantine during the first act. The music is by Claude-Michel Schönberg, with orchestrations by John Cameron. The English lyrics are by Herbert Kretzmer, based on the original French libretto by Alain Boublil. The song is a lament, sung by the anguished, dying and impoverished Fantine, who thinks back to happier days and wonders at all that has gone wrong in her life.
I also dreamed a dream for all of us and I think of the happier days in the 1960's and 1970s while wondering what went wrong in our country, don't you?
Wikipedia defines governance as "an indeterminate term used in development literature to describe how public institutions conduct public affairs and manage public resources in order to guarantee the realization of human rights. Governance describes "the process of decision-making and the process by which decisions are implemented (or not implemented)". The term governance can apply to corporate, international, national, local governance or to the interactions between other sectors of society."
I dare say that bad/poor governance is one of the key sources of evil within our society. Through governance, officials can partake in the process of decision-making and implement decisions/policies be it in corporately, internationally, nationally or even locally.
A myriad of key players are involved in governance. Obviously, the government is the most important player in governance. Other would be the rich/wealthy/influential personalities in society, political parties, associations, NGOs, research institutes, religious leaders, finance institutions political parties, the military etc.
With the exception of the government and the military, the others are grouped together as part of "civil society" who are playing more important roles today. As a member of civil society, I really dream that good governance can exist in our country. Our government must be participatory and consensus oriented that there can be good exchange of ideas and perspectives.
Participation by the rakyat is a key cornerstone of good governance. This participation must be one that is informed and organized. If freedom of association and expression is allowed to thrive, in an organized civil society, the rakyat and government can work together.
If the government strives towards good governance, it will naturally be accountable, transparent, responsive, effective and efficient, equitable and inclusive to minimize corruption and to show consideration to the views of minorities and the most vulnerable in society when making decisions. Our country certainly needs fair legal frameworks that are enforced impartially. There must be full protection of human rights, an independent judiciary and an impartial and incorruptible police force.
A good government must be responsive to the present and future needs of society and they can only know that if they have men and women of honor and integrity at the helm of power.
Decisions taken and policy enforcement must be carried out according to rules and regulations with information freely made available and accessible to the rakyat by giving them opportunities to improve or maintain their well being.
With good governance, policies, processes and institutions produce results that meet the needs of society while making the best use of available resources in a sustainable way while observing conservation principles. Is this happening where our forest reserves and construction of dams are concerned, especially in East Malaysia? All this means that we need a government that believes in accountability which in reality, cannot be enforced unless there is transparency and the rule of law. Is this only a utopian dream for Malaysia?
In closing, let's listen to "I Dreamed a Dream" by Susan Boyle. It is a song from the musical Les Misérables that is sung by the character Fantine during the first act. The music is by Claude-Michel Schönberg, with orchestrations by John Cameron. The English lyrics are by Herbert Kretzmer, based on the original French libretto by Alain Boublil. The song is a lament, sung by the anguished, dying and impoverished Fantine, who thinks back to happier days and wonders at all that has gone wrong in her life.
I also dreamed a dream for all of us and I think of the happier days in the 1960's and 1970s while wondering what went wrong in our country, don't you?
I DREAMED A DREAM
I dreamed a dream in time gone by
When hope was high and life worth living
I dreamed that love would never die
I dreamed that God would be forgiving
Then I was young and unafraid
And dreams were made and used and wasted
There was no ransom to be paid
No song unsung, no wine untasted
But the tigers come at night
With their voices soft as thunder
As they turn your hope apart
As they turn your dreams to shame
And still I dream he’d come to me
That we would live the years together
But there are dreams that cannot be
And there are storms we cannot weather
I had a dream my life would be
So different from the hell I’m living
So different now from what it seemed
Now life has killed the dream I dreamed
I dreamed a dream in time gone by
When hope was high and life worth living
I dreamed that love would never die
I dreamed that God would be forgiving
Then I was young and unafraid
And dreams were made and used and wasted
There was no ransom to be paid
No song unsung, no wine untasted
But the tigers come at night
With their voices soft as thunder
As they turn your hope apart
As they turn your dreams to shame
And still I dream he’d come to me
That we would live the years together
But there are dreams that cannot be
And there are storms we cannot weather
I had a dream my life would be
So different from the hell I’m living
So different now from what it seemed
Now life has killed the dream I dreamed
So, do we continue to be the les misérables fretting away in our individual lives?
Apa Nama I have a dream, a beautiful dream that one day, I will be appointed a senator, and thereafter a deputy or a full minister!
Not an impossible dream, right???