Ombudsman -- NST editorial disAPpoints!

Over the past one year of Blogging, Desi had posted a few times about the need to set up an independent body to handle public complaints, with properly defined jurisdiction and adequately equipped with trained staff. Yes, along the lines of an OMBUDSMAN. Being bandied about the past few days by the Government, and NGOs, and some Tan Sri level individuals as IF they were the only people that mattered to the Press. (IMHO, the blardy press were just being lazy always going back to the same olde faces calling themselves Social ASctivists and Civil Rights Defenders sitting around in AC OFFICES AND TRAVELLING IN CHAUFFERED DRIVEN PROTON SATRIA (Desi's giving them the benefit of the doubt that they also are patriotic as urged by the nation's leaders by supporting the National Car REGARDLESS...)?

For instance, the last few days have seen the daily hogging of media limelight by Datuk Michael Chiong of the MCA Complaints Bureau, making it look he was a government appointee... which he is not. (Also constantly engaged in verbal feuds with opposition MP Teresa Kok, which is another issue Desi would leave for another forum...)
And of course with that sort of media spotlight associated with an individual linked to a political party, might not the question/s then arise, including:

What's the unspoken agenda?

Where is the accountability of Tokens of Appreciation paid by the Complainants in APpreciation opf the services rendered.
Are there any abuse, or misuse, or proper accounting of funds received?
As Citizen Joe, I think such questions are legitimate, or am I being rude for thinking aloud on such questions?
My dear ER, tell me, as I am guided by thy wisdom too.

Going into progresive thinking allowed, I ask fo the New Straits Times for writing this Editorial:

What's Your Agenda and Your Priorities?

National interest first?
Fourtrh Estate second?
UMNO third?

Or like Desiderata, you have got your priorities Upside down, Inside out?
But Desi is just an Individual. You are a Corporate, you are an Institution,
so your responsibility and accountability is at a higher level. Muc, much higher.


~~~~~~~~
Editorial: Attending to complaints
11 Apr 2006


*THE office of ombudsman is an idea whose time may not yet have come. Like all institutions, the ombudsman model has strengths as well as weaknesses, and it has been implemented in various forms and in different areas of administration in different countries with varying degrees of success. In trying to improve public services, there is always the risk of creating a new apparatus which further complicates rather than facilitates matters.This is why the Government has taken the position that it needs to study the feasibility of the ombudsman system to keep civil servants on the straight and narrow, and to explore other options in attending to complaints about unfair treatment and poor service before coming to any decision. As Deputy Prime Minister Datuk Seri Najib Razak said, there could be a "better way" than the ombudsman.

**Like any other impartial, external watchdog, monitor or regulator, the strength of the ombudsman lies in the very independence of the office. Complainants will always be disappointed when their cases are rejected, or when there are no grounds to proceed further. But they will be more than satisfied when their cases are dealt with thoroughly and quickly by a neutral, impartial body. In contrast, a lack of independence is a major weakness of internal complaints mechanisms and a source of public dissatisfaction and suspicion. For this reason, the Special Commission to Enhance the Operations and Management of the Royal Malaysia Police recommended the establishment of an independent body to investigate misconduct and abuse of power. With independence so central, the question of who such bodies are accountable to, therefore, becomes a fundamental concern.

***What also matters is whether the complaints panel has the power to act forcefully. Many existing mechanisms are nothing more than well-meaning clearing houses without the clout to ensure compliance. Whatever the institution that is set up to deal with complaints, it is reasonable to expect that their decisions would be complied with. Along with sufficient "teeth", there is always a need to provide adequate staff, sufficient resources and ample funds. Whatever the structure, composition, jurisdiction, and powers of complaints, watchdogs will ultimately be judged by their ability to redress complaints quickly, effectively and fairly.

DESIDERATA: The emphasis in the editorial highlighted (IN BOLD)is entirely Desi's ... and I shall given my 3sen's worth of thoughts on the highlights.
I hope my thoughts need not go through a clearing house. (Paranoia sets in as I have read George Orwell's 1984 once too often, and his other ANIMAL FARM keeps creeping up with those acts and antics re-enacted consistently at RUMAHSs...)

*THE office of ombudsman is an idea whose time may not yet have come.
This is a constant refrain used by politicians -- hey, you are the 4Th Estate! Not the first or second!
When then is some initiative at a RIGHT TIME?
To Desi, Yesterday was already one day long overdue.
And Tomorrow might never come.

The remainder of the first paragrpah is the rationale or flimsy grounds to defend the thessis statement. See, Desi is teaching the YoungOnes what a THESIS STATEMENT is when writing an essay/composition.

Just note a Politician's name inevitable cops up, ah, nothing less than the Deputy Prime Minister's.
Now you see where the top Priority lies. The real Agenda?

**Like any other impartial, external watchdog, monitor or regulator, the strength of the ombudsman lies in the very independence of the office.

PRECISELY.
The key words "impartial, external watchdog" and "very independence" are precisley the CORE REASONS why such an OMBUDSMAN should be set up, PROMTO!
The NST seems to have argued in this second paragrapg against the premises it prefaced in the opening paragraph.

***What also matters is whether the complaints panel has the power to act forcefully.

PRECISELY.


Ditto. Ditto. Ditto. (As in ** -- my ER, Can you do Desi a favour - Cut&Paste?)