What is a good government? This question is particularly significant and relevant to Malaysia today, given the present circumstances in the country. While opinions will vary on this, I believe there is a high degree of consensus on what constitutes good government in a modern society. The minimum characteristics would include the following:

1. A government whose powers are clearly defined and limited. This is achieved through a system of checks and balances between the three branches of government. The checks to the executive come from the legislative and judiciary, including the constitution.

There is ample evidence, both historical and current, that underscores the dangers of an unfettered executive. It leads to abuse of power, self-preservation, corruption, and ultimately to dictatorship. There is a natural tendency for the executive to seek and retain power, and expand its domain.

The executive can only be contained through a system of institutional checks and balances. We cannot place high hope on the goodness of man to self-restrain and behave ethically and rationally when he is in a position of power. Man is too weak to manage power. Power tends to corrupt him.

This means we need a legislative and judiciary that can function independently to check the abuses of the executive. This calls for a separation of powers and a clear delineation of the functions of the three branches of government. It is not enough for the separation of powers to be in the constitution.

How the separation operates in practice is the test. This is the challenge for many countries, including Malaysia. The constitutional provisions on the separation of powers are found in many countries, but the principle is not observed in practice. In practice, the executive dominates the other two branches of government, especially in the parliamentary system of government.

Worse, in many instances the three work in cahoot to strengthen the power and position of the executive, in which case the country  effectively becomes a dictatorship, governed by law, threats, and fear. The country degenerates into a police state.

How to build a government that works on checks and balances and separation of powers seems to be a daunting task. Constitutional provisions are not enough. The solution appears to lie in the political education of the people. This is a slow process, but is the only workable long-term solution to the problem.

Revolutions and forceful overthrow of governments are not real solutions, for they are likely to replace one repressive government with another equally repressive one. To have good governance, people must first understand it and want it. The good news is that this process of political development, seen in historical context, appears to be inevitable.

Dictators and repressive governments do not last long. The very process of economic and social development brings forth in people a desire for greater freedom and better governance. This yearning can be suppressed by repressive regimes only in the short run.

The forces of freedom always triumph in the end. Repressive governments must realise that history is not on their side. It is better for them to lead the forces of change than attempt to retain the past. In trying to retain the past, they run the risk of open revolt to their rule.

Runs on democratic principles

2. A government that functions on democratic principles. Although democracy is not the best form of government, there is no better alternative. History shows democracy does work because it rests on a solid foundation of the fundamental rights of man to freedom, equality, and self-determination.

A government that does not respect these rights will not last. This is why repressive regimes fail in the end. They cannot continue to hold on to power that is not legitimate and does not have the support of the people.

 

Democracy is not about elections and majority rule. Even dictators hold elections. It is about freedom, rights, and participation. How the majority treats the minority is the hallmark of democracy. It is about the right of the people to participate in the governing process, a right that goes beyond casting votes every four years.

It is about freedom to express discontent with government policies and actions, to keep the government of the day on the right path, away from abuses of power, corruption, scandals and suppression of the democratic rights of the people. Democracy is about the everyday participation of citizens in government.

The participation of the people in the governing process that goes beyond electing the government is crucial to good governance. It provides needed inputs for government decision making and feedback on how well the government is doing. This is something a good government should welcome and encourage, not suppress. This is where a strong opposition is needed to provide a check on the government.

Governments work better when the people have a choice between different political parties that offer different policy options and programmes. When people have a political choice, governments will perform better to remain in power.

Democracy requires the possibility of alternative governments. A government that suppresses this choice through oppression of its political rivals is undermining the democratic process and denying its citizens the possibility of a better government.

To freely choose a government is a fundamental right of the people. Good governments should seek to remain in power through performance, not through oppressing its political rivals and denying its people a political choice.

Perform and produce results

3. A competent government. A good government must perform and produce results. It must lead economic and social development, create jobs, provide educational opportunities, and generally improve the quality of life of its people. It needs to have a vision for the future and develop plans, programmes, and policies to achieve the vision. The resources of the country-both natural and human-must be prudently used for the benefit of the people and not for the ruling elites.

Prosperity and growth must be evenly shared, and income and wealth disparities narrowed so that national growth and development can be enjoyed by everyone and not just those at the top. A government that squanders the wealth of the country and its people to enrich its leaders and its cronies is not a good government.

4. A value-based government. A good government is guided by fundamental values, principles, and morals. Its leadership is principle-centered. It does what is right, not what is politically correct. Its policies, decisions, and actions have an ethical underpinning, not just based on political expediciency.

Justice and equity guide the government’s actions in dealing with its people and the outside world. Nationally and internationally, the government is recognized for its moral leadership, respect for the rule of law, and human rights. The government is seen as a good global player that contributes to world peace and stability, not one that is a source of global tension. In short, the good government works from a strong ethical foundation and rises above narrow politics.

5. Respect for differences. A good government understands that people are different, with different cultures, languages, religions, and value systems. The differences and diversity are seen as points of strength, not weakness. The government builds on the strength of diversity. It does not seek uniformity and does not suppress the cultures of minority groups. Most countries today are plural.

Any government that does not respect diversity and develop the capacity to manage differences will end up with cultural and racial conflicts and tensions. A good government is one that manages pluralism well.

How does the Malaysian government measure up against the above attributes of good governance?