ID :
27689
Fri, 10/31/2008 - 10:26
Auther :
Shortlink :
https://oananews.org//node/27689
The shortlink copeid
ABANDON "SILO" MENTALITY, SAYS RAJA NAZRIN
KUALA LUMPUR, Oct 31 (Bernama) -- The Regent of northern state Perak Raja Dr Nazrin Shah Thursday said the people must abandon the "silo" mentality where they only look up at what is happening and not beside them to see what others were experiencing.
Raja Nazrin said in the current situation, they could no longer afford to
formulate policies, laws and regulations on a "discriminatory basis and in an
ethical vacuum."
"It is necessary, I believe, to hold firmly to the principle of
inclusiveness. No segment of society must be disrespected, discredited and
disenfranchised. No group should feel that their efforts and contributions go
unrecognised and unwanted.
"Bringing this about is one of the greatest challenges of governance today.
To my mind, there is no better way to express the principle of inclusiveness
than through the practice of empowerment," he said in a special plenary address
at the 21st Lawasia Conference 2008 at the Kuala Lumpur Convention Centre
here.
"Only inclusive development through empowerment can societies become
strong. Only inclusive development through empowerment can we achieve lasting
outcomes," he said.
He said the term "empowerment" was originally developed in the context of
gender equality but it had now gained much wider currency.
It embraced not merely the under-classes, he said, but all those who did
not walk the corridors of power and who had little say in what affected their
lives.
"It is about giving the opportunity to those who do not have them to live
self-fulfilling lives," he said.
Raja Nazrin said the consequences of not empowering citizens or, worse,
disempowering them, was to create a deep sense of alienation and hostility which
often led to rash acts of violence that fractured societies.
"It gives these citizens every reason to seek to divide society in
order to redress their dissatisfaction," he said.
"This is bad and insensitive politics. On another level, we cannot morally
turn our backs on the fundamental responsibility of ensuring that all
stakeholders in our society, no matter how small or seemingly insignificant,
have a place under the sun," he said.
The Regent of Perak said people could of course ignore the more troublesome
elements in society but closing both eyes to the problem did not build the unity
and integration required to face the economic and social turmoil that is likely
to result.
"Where there should be cohesion, there is fragmentation. Where a
progressive
middle class should be created, there is instead impoverished sectarianism. This
is not theoretical speculation. We see evidence of it throughout the world and
not least within Asia," he said.
Raja Nazrin said empowerment was a precondition for an integrated and
progressive Asia and suggested five areas that could drive both the connecting
and empowerment of the region.
He said the first prerequisite of empowerment was to strengthen the rule of
law, the second was greater political participation, the third prerequisite was
"reform of societal software" where values and beliefs needed to be
changed.
The fourth source of empowerment, he said, was technology, particularly
information and communication technology, and the fifth was education which
broke the chains of oppressive traditions and extremism.
-- BERNAMA
Raja Nazrin said in the current situation, they could no longer afford to
formulate policies, laws and regulations on a "discriminatory basis and in an
ethical vacuum."
"It is necessary, I believe, to hold firmly to the principle of
inclusiveness. No segment of society must be disrespected, discredited and
disenfranchised. No group should feel that their efforts and contributions go
unrecognised and unwanted.
"Bringing this about is one of the greatest challenges of governance today.
To my mind, there is no better way to express the principle of inclusiveness
than through the practice of empowerment," he said in a special plenary address
at the 21st Lawasia Conference 2008 at the Kuala Lumpur Convention Centre
here.
"Only inclusive development through empowerment can societies become
strong. Only inclusive development through empowerment can we achieve lasting
outcomes," he said.
He said the term "empowerment" was originally developed in the context of
gender equality but it had now gained much wider currency.
It embraced not merely the under-classes, he said, but all those who did
not walk the corridors of power and who had little say in what affected their
lives.
"It is about giving the opportunity to those who do not have them to live
self-fulfilling lives," he said.
Raja Nazrin said the consequences of not empowering citizens or, worse,
disempowering them, was to create a deep sense of alienation and hostility which
often led to rash acts of violence that fractured societies.
"It gives these citizens every reason to seek to divide society in
order to redress their dissatisfaction," he said.
"This is bad and insensitive politics. On another level, we cannot morally
turn our backs on the fundamental responsibility of ensuring that all
stakeholders in our society, no matter how small or seemingly insignificant,
have a place under the sun," he said.
The Regent of Perak said people could of course ignore the more troublesome
elements in society but closing both eyes to the problem did not build the unity
and integration required to face the economic and social turmoil that is likely
to result.
"Where there should be cohesion, there is fragmentation. Where a
progressive
middle class should be created, there is instead impoverished sectarianism. This
is not theoretical speculation. We see evidence of it throughout the world and
not least within Asia," he said.
Raja Nazrin said empowerment was a precondition for an integrated and
progressive Asia and suggested five areas that could drive both the connecting
and empowerment of the region.
He said the first prerequisite of empowerment was to strengthen the rule of
law, the second was greater political participation, the third prerequisite was
"reform of societal software" where values and beliefs needed to be
changed.
The fourth source of empowerment, he said, was technology, particularly
information and communication technology, and the fifth was education which
broke the chains of oppressive traditions and extremism.
-- BERNAMA
