Bernama

KUALA LUMPUR, Aug 13 (Bernama) — For a country to practise a system of good governance, there must be transparency and openness, and a free flow and easy access to information must be encouraged, the Raja Muda of Perak, Raja Dr Nazrin Shah, said today.

He said people are were well-informed are in a better position to make informed decisions and those who are badly informed will rely on half-truths and lies. They will have to depend on non-credible sources of information or they may have to remain ignorant.

“This can cause attention to be directed to frivolous matters, while positive and commendable efforts on the part of the government go unseen, nullifying those efforts,” he said in his keynote address at the international conference on “The Challenges of Democratisation and Good Governance in the Malaysian Public Sector” here.

Outlining several points in realising a system of good governance, Raja Nazrin said there was a need to continuously move towards an increasingly open system of governance.

“Eradicating red tape and convoluted bureaucratic procedures will help stave off high economic costs and inhibit any opportunity for illicit payment. The amount of regulation, permits and licences must be reduced,” he said.

Raja Nazrin said tendering processes needed to be made more competitive and transparent and “whistle blowers” should be protected against retaliation from those complained about.

“These measures will help towards reducing the opportunities for corruption,” he said, commenting the government’s move in setting up the Special Task Force to Facilitate Business (Pemudah) early this year, a collaborative project between the public and private sectors which aims to simplify operations and improve the efficiency and effectiveness of the public delivery system.

He said that besides according fully with the rule of law and the spirit of law, a system of good governance was “palpably at odds with unprincipled, immoral and unethical behaviour and it cannot exist where there is lack of integrity.”

Attitudes and behaviour based on the principles of integrity were arguably the most important element in good governance, and the absence of it could undermine the legitimacy of public institutions and disrupt policy goals, he said.

“Governance systems cannot rise to become good until and unless the people who are involved rise as well,” he said.

The Star

SHAH ALAM: Immediate action must be taken to check corruption, bureaucratic red tape, race problems, religious intolerance, the brain drain and crime, the Sultan of Selangor said.

Sultan Sharafuddin Idris Shah said Malaysia had achieved tremendous progress over the last 50 years.

Describing Malaysia as a blessed country, he said the people certainly had much to be thankful for but should not rest on their laurels as Malaysians also needed to take stock of what the country needed to do in the next 50 years.

“Corruption is still a problem, which the people are very concerned about, and more effective action needs to be taken,” he said.

Describing corruption as a cancerous cell, the Sultan said if graft could not be wiped out, it should be checked effectively.

He also took to task government agencies that continued to slow down approvals for foreign investors, saying the lackadaisical attitude of some government servants had affected the investment momentum.

“They must change their mindset because delays mean escalating costs and lost job opportunities, which may even lead to corrupt practices,” he said.

The Sultan said he was upset because the mindset of some people had not changed, saying he feared investors may move to neighbouring countries which were very competitive in attracting investors.

Selangor, he said, was one of the country’s most important states and he needed to emphasise this.

In a strongly worded interview, the Sultan said he had given Mentri Besar Datuk Seri Dr Mohamed Khir Toyo a deadline for applications after the end of an investment promotion trip.

He acknowledged the Federal Government had set up the Special Task Force to Facilitate Business (Pemudah) to fast-track procedures and transactions between the Government and private sector.

“That is good but more needs to be done because the feedback from investors is that there is a greater need for a bigger push. Time waits for no one. We do not want investors to be discouraged from investing in Malaysia, as our neighbouring countries would also be willing to accept them.”

The Sultan also expressed his concern over the country’s brain drain, saying talented young people were leaving the country.

“No one, irrespective of his race, should be denied any opportunities. I am sad to see good people being lost to other countries,” he said.

He said Singapore was the greatest benefactor and that even the Singapore National Library was designed by a Malaysian.

In another case, he said, a highly qualified Malaysian academic was not accepted by local universities but was invited by the National University of Singapore to head a department.

The Sultan feared talent from the tourism and hospitality sectors would be affected when the island republic’s integrated entertainment resorts opened.

On race relations, he called for the young to have friends from other races, saying this was important.

He said Tunku Abdul Rahman was very particular about national unity and as the nation celebrated Merdeka, no one should forget his legacy of insisting on racial harmony.

The Sultan urged the people in Selangor to reject any form of racial and religious intolerance.

“Islam respects other religions and other religions must also respect Islam,” he said, adding multiracialism must be instilled at primary school level.

“If there is a need to re-evaluate our school system, then our authorities must do so to promote better racial harmony,” he said.

On crime, he said the police needed support from the people as they lacked manpower and facilities to fight crime.

The Sultan said he had asked the Selangor state government to install more CCTVs as a way to check crime.

He said he was aware Selangor had the highest crime rate because of the influx of people from other states and foreigners to work in the state.

On the environment, he said the state had planted over a million trees while the palace had committed itself to planting 5,000 trees on its grounds.

“The environment is our concern and will remain so. Tree replanting is essential,” he said, adding that tree-planting efforts in Bukit Jelutong were commendable.

The Sultan said he was also upset with the use of his name by unscrupulous people for securing state awards or low-cost houses.

“I am disheartened by such people because Selangor does not sell state awards, that is clear, even to the people.

“But I am glad that the people in Selangor have taken the trouble to call the palace to verify claims from such dishonest people,” he said.

The Sultan said the people could call his private secretary Datuk Mohamed Munir Bani at 03-5519 4242 or e-mail istanamastika@yahoo.com to check.

He said the palace believed in transparency and would be pleased to get feedback from the rakyat on developments in Selangor.