Is government the solution or the problem?

 

Last week in my column, I asked a rather provocative question. Why do we need a government, if they can’t even do the most fundamental things in their job specification?

While many readers echoed my sentiments, there were some who took umbrage with what I had asked. Of course, I was not saying that we do away with government. The question I posed was a response to the shambolic inaction from our government during the recent floods.

If the people in charge repeatedly don’t do their jobs, isn’t it simply logical to question their very existence?

At the end of the day, it does not matter how much we disagree with one another. Essentially, whether we are rich or poor, or we seem to be disconnected by race or religion, ultimately, all Malaysians want the same things from our government.

So, let’s explore what the citizenry of a nation wants from their government.

Most people will start by saying that government is needed because law and order must be maintained. It provides for everyone’s core personal safety. And, laws exist so that society can function orderly. Without laws, we will feel insecure and volatile.

But haven’t we seen the selective application of laws in our nation over the past few years?

There seems to be one rule for the elites and another for ordinary Malaysians. While the term “rule of law” is regularly bandied about by politicians, even when some of them are convicted by the courts, they still get to travel, and continue to receive preferential treatment.

When this happens, people will question the government.

And, this leads to another major principle of government, which is to provide justice for all. This is a tough one, when public policies in Malaysia make for winners and losers.

Aside from the obvious special privileges that the majority community enjoys in the form of quotas and support, even basic taxation rules cause an imbalance of justice. Our sales tax is a case in point. It really doesn’t hurt the rich, the elites, and the politicians, but for the rest of us, it is a huge burden.

So, fairness to all citizenry is fraught with difficulties when we have systemic and ingrained inequality.

Next, everyone wants a government they can trust. But to be frank, what do you think most Malaysians will say if they are asked whether they trust their government? And, what might the answer be, if we ask the residents of Taman Sri Muda or the people in the recent flood-affected areas?

Citizens don’t want lies, and we all certainly don’t want the government to break promises.

However, when we keep discovering opaque transactions at the highest levels of government, or that the agencies that are supposed to protect us, are themselves tainted by allegations of impropriety, or that senior politicians are in cahoots with self-serving business people; how can we trust the government?

The people of any nation want a representative government.

We expect our government to be transparent about their decisions, and the programmes that they initiate. And, we all would like to have equal access to them, and be included.

When people feel that the government is not being inclusive, or that their values and interests are not being represented, the government literally loses its usefulness to the citizenry.

High on our priority list is also value for money…and I mean value for our tax ringgit.

Malaysians want the government to spend our money on valuable things and not useless edifices that only bring glory to themselves.

We want money to go to education and talent development, healthcare, useful infrastructure projects with long-term benefits, technological advancements, disaster management and so forth.

If our money is spent on paying for a bloated cabinet of ineffective ministers, or when allocations are made for disaster management, but then we witness the diabolical handling of a national catastrophe, citizens have every right to demand answers from their government.

The people of every country want a robust economy. Naturally, managing a country’s finances is a complex operation best left to experts who have a deep understanding of it.

But if folks see the price of household goods like bread, skyrocket, and yet they notice the willful and negligent waste of public funds, you cannot expect them to just take it on the chin.

Citizens need a government that ensures the economy is always stable, and that seepage is controlled.

Finally, don’t we all want a peaceful Malaysia?

People do not want our government to morph into an autocratic oppressor. We do not want our freedoms to be manipulated by the government for fictional reasons.

Using race and religion, or our health for political maneuverings, makes people sick to the stomach.

So, yes, we do need a government. But a government that actually can provide; protect; and invest in talent and infrastructure.

I reckon that the real worry for many Malaysians, in the words of a former world leader, is that “government is not the solution to our problem; government is the problem” - FMT 

The views expressed are those of the writer and do not necessarily reflect those of MMKtT.