http://www.malaysiakini.com/columns/186795
Truth matters not just in the affairs of a nation, but also in the cobwebs of our mind's ideas and ideals of personal construction. Ideals are ideas pushed to the natural end of imaginary time, and what one wishes for as a perfect condition in an idealised world.
Visions of and for life are also ideas and ideals; projected about both the here and now and the thereafter! These are often called worldviews.
I consider worldviews as meta-paradigms. Paradigms are rational and logical and can be defended as such. Meta paradigms require a further belief system which is often unquestioned and taken for granted!
Paradigm shifts happen when there is a religious-like reorientation from the older worldview, and may not often be merely very rational! In an earlier column I talked about such paradigm shifts!
Newspapers are guardians of public morality; of and for good governance. Therefore there must be clear thinking, accurate presentations, and then valuable publications of such public events or truths.
The editorial in any printed daily newspaper is always a public non-personal statement about the state of their "clear thinking and accurate articulation" of issues of public concern and interest.
The NST in its editorial of the ‘day after' wrote:
"The Anwar judgment is proof of the Government's earnestness in upholding justice and the rule of law even for the politician most determined to topple it."
Obviously, you as the Umno vehicle, speak as if you are the government. Please assume your humble role as one of the many media professionals who have the responsibility to engender good governance in Malaysia!
KJ JOHN was in public service for 29 years. The views expressed here are his personal views and not those of any institution he is involved with. Write to him atkjjohn@ohmsi.net with any feedback or views.
Visions of and for life are also ideas and ideals; projected about both the here and now and the thereafter! These are often called worldviews.
I consider worldviews as meta-paradigms. Paradigms are rational and logical and can be defended as such. Meta paradigms require a further belief system which is often unquestioned and taken for granted!
Paradigm shifts happen when there is a religious-like reorientation from the older worldview, and may not often be merely very rational! In an earlier column I talked about such paradigm shifts!
Newspapers are guardians of public morality; of and for good governance. Therefore there must be clear thinking, accurate presentations, and then valuable publications of such public events or truths.
The editorial in any printed daily newspaper is always a public non-personal statement about the state of their "clear thinking and accurate articulation" of issues of public concern and interest.
The NST in its editorial of the ‘day after' wrote:
"The Anwar judgment is proof of the Government's earnestness in upholding justice and the rule of law even for the politician most determined to topple it."
What flawed, unclear and convoluted logic. It reflects the thinking of the government, which it represents through this piece of writing!
But, is it the truth? The NST logic about governments and governance is totally flawed. Any government is always the Executive Authority of a nation-state. But, it is fundamentally different from governance as a process of administering a nation-state.
In real terms therefore, "the government" is made up of a cabinet of ministers, plus all others given the legitimate jurisdiction for their explicit authority. For instance, that includes the chief secretary, the attorney-general, the IGP, the armed forces chief, and all others who have explicit legal jurisdiction for the good governance of the nation-state.
These may in fact include the 38 or so "reclassified super posts" under the JPA's new salary scheme wherein these officers are apparently going to be paid about 40% more, but also open to review and exit if non-performing!
In the US system of governance, these appointees are called cabinet-level appointments, if held by public servants and there is often a need to review their appointments publicly before such appointments are affirmed!
I had a classmate from my university alumni who was considered by the US Congress before her appointment as the chief trade commissioner for the US Government under presidents Bush and Clinton.
The second arm of good governance is always the Legislature. These are made of the speakers of the two houses of the Parliament, and made up of all MPs, regardless of whether they are cabinet appointees or otherwise!
In real terms therefore, "the government" is made up of a cabinet of ministers, plus all others given the legitimate jurisdiction for their explicit authority. For instance, that includes the chief secretary, the attorney-general, the IGP, the armed forces chief, and all others who have explicit legal jurisdiction for the good governance of the nation-state.
These may in fact include the 38 or so "reclassified super posts" under the JPA's new salary scheme wherein these officers are apparently going to be paid about 40% more, but also open to review and exit if non-performing!
In the US system of governance, these appointees are called cabinet-level appointments, if held by public servants and there is often a need to review their appointments publicly before such appointments are affirmed!
I had a classmate from my university alumni who was considered by the US Congress before her appointment as the chief trade commissioner for the US Government under presidents Bush and Clinton.
The second arm of good governance is always the Legislature. These are made of the speakers of the two houses of the Parliament, and made up of all MPs, regardless of whether they are cabinet appointees or otherwise!
It's Parliament that commands
When Parliament sits, the executive authority of the day must respect and honour the appointees! The parliamentary staff are full time employees of the Parliament, and technically should not be public servants of the executive order.
I remember the only time I appeared before Parliament, at a meeting of the Public Accounts Committee that was chaired by the late P Patto of the DAP. He was fearsome. We were under review when I was registrar of the National Institute of Public Administration, Intan.
During the early days of Intan's PTD pre-service training, the students were all sent for their rural posting wherein they had to stay in a Class 3 poor home during their six weeks and carry out some research and learning activities.
They were given cash allowances as per diem to pay to the foster parents. Of course, receipts were requested but the documentation of these was less than complete when you are covering about 200 homes. The non availability of receipts for their home stay was the issue of focus by the PAC.
My former Intan boss, who was then holding the portfolio of the Mayor of KL City Hall, not only made it a priority to attend the meeting but to also give an excellent report to the point that the Parliament was happy with his response and answers. In fact, the newspapers reported that the PAC was happy for the very first time with the answers of the former director of Intan.
In those days, the Legislature was respected and even the cabinet did not interfere in the workings of the PAC. Anyone called up would turn up without fail, with some fear and trembling!
But, today we hear of ministry secretaries-general and director-generals who refuse to turn up for unknown or unstated reasons! How insulting to the Legislature! What can be more important than an appointment in Parliament before the PAC or a Special Committee to the Parliament?
The third and equally responsible part of good governance is the judiciary. Whether we like it or not, after the massacre of 1988, the judiciary has become a lame duck or a wounded tiger, angry with itself for the courage it lacks.
Yet, every chief justice tries his best to bring the judiciary to its heights again, but many carry their own legacy problems with them too. Therefore they lack the audacity of moral leadership!
The fourth arm of good governance in my ‘Theory R' is the neutral, professional and public services of the government (it includes all the non-executives).
The fifth is the media as the next estate of good governance, with the responsibility of moral oversight of public events. The sixth estate is the NGOs and the seventh is the citizens as individuals who finally get to vote out the government of the day, which does not perform.
When Parliament sits, the executive authority of the day must respect and honour the appointees! The parliamentary staff are full time employees of the Parliament, and technically should not be public servants of the executive order.
I remember the only time I appeared before Parliament, at a meeting of the Public Accounts Committee that was chaired by the late P Patto of the DAP. He was fearsome. We were under review when I was registrar of the National Institute of Public Administration, Intan.
During the early days of Intan's PTD pre-service training, the students were all sent for their rural posting wherein they had to stay in a Class 3 poor home during their six weeks and carry out some research and learning activities.
They were given cash allowances as per diem to pay to the foster parents. Of course, receipts were requested but the documentation of these was less than complete when you are covering about 200 homes. The non availability of receipts for their home stay was the issue of focus by the PAC.
My former Intan boss, who was then holding the portfolio of the Mayor of KL City Hall, not only made it a priority to attend the meeting but to also give an excellent report to the point that the Parliament was happy with his response and answers. In fact, the newspapers reported that the PAC was happy for the very first time with the answers of the former director of Intan.
In those days, the Legislature was respected and even the cabinet did not interfere in the workings of the PAC. Anyone called up would turn up without fail, with some fear and trembling!
But, today we hear of ministry secretaries-general and director-generals who refuse to turn up for unknown or unstated reasons! How insulting to the Legislature! What can be more important than an appointment in Parliament before the PAC or a Special Committee to the Parliament?
The third and equally responsible part of good governance is the judiciary. Whether we like it or not, after the massacre of 1988, the judiciary has become a lame duck or a wounded tiger, angry with itself for the courage it lacks.
Yet, every chief justice tries his best to bring the judiciary to its heights again, but many carry their own legacy problems with them too. Therefore they lack the audacity of moral leadership!
The fourth arm of good governance in my ‘Theory R' is the neutral, professional and public services of the government (it includes all the non-executives).
The fifth is the media as the next estate of good governance, with the responsibility of moral oversight of public events. The sixth estate is the NGOs and the seventh is the citizens as individuals who finally get to vote out the government of the day, which does not perform.
Citizens want good service
Citizens do not really care about the colour of any flag; what they really want to see is good and excellent service!
Based on the above model of good governance, let us review the NST editorial for accuracy and clarity in public pronouncements! Let me first simply rebut their assertions:
Citizens do not really care about the colour of any flag; what they really want to see is good and excellent service!
Based on the above model of good governance, let us review the NST editorial for accuracy and clarity in public pronouncements! Let me first simply rebut their assertions:
- The Anwar judgment may have had nothing to do with the government's "earnestness in upholding justice." At best, the credit can only go to the judge for being fair to the process, or at worst, to some scheming "boss" who may have some other ulterior motive and is influencing the judgment! Alternatively a good boss who gave excellent advice.
- The government upholds ‘rule of law' by obeying the rule of law; it was sad to see that this very court was insulted by the non-presence of the so-called VIP witnesses! Nowhere else in the world will the judge allow important witnesses not turn up in court!
- True justice, like the Lady of Liberty, does not see the "type of human being, whether politician or commoner!" Or, even if the politician is most determined to topple the current government! Those are non issues to the case in point! That is why she is called the Blind Lady of Justice!
Obviously, you as the Umno vehicle, speak as if you are the government. Please assume your humble role as one of the many media professionals who have the responsibility to engender good governance in Malaysia!
KJ JOHN was in public service for 29 years. The views expressed here are his personal views and not those of any institution he is involved with. Write to him atkjjohn@ohmsi.net with any feedback or views.
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