‘PRIORITISE GOOD GOVERNANCE’
Tuanku Muhriz urges govt to practise checks and balances
THE government must practise the principles of checks and balances to ensure that the nation’s administration is free from misconduct.
Negri Sembilan Yang di-Pertuan Besar Tuanku Muhriz Tuanku Munawir said elected representatives, enforcement agencies and civil servants should carry out their responsibilities with integrity and accountability without any personal agenda.
“Lately, Malaysians have been exposed to news on extreme abuse of power, which can destroy the country. One by one, the news was exposed by the Federal Government almost every day. What is disappointing is that such abuses have been happening for so long without any effective action by any parties.
“I am grateful that the 14th General Election created history in the country’s democratic practise, when the people voiced through the ballot the actions that should have been taken from the beginning against abuses of power and malpractices.
“I hope such matters would not occur again,” he said at the opening of Negri Sembilan’s 14th State Legislative Assembly first sitting of the second session here yesterday.
Tuanku Muhriz said the state government should give importance to good governance in the implementation of duties and decision-making processes, while taking into account the views of the people.
“Public consultation needs to be increased in making decisions and implementing development frameworks.
“We must avoid doing projects that cater only to a certain group of people, and we must always give priority to the interests of the people,” he said.
“The core of Negri Sembilan’s development is the wellbeing of the people. This is the foundation that forms the basis of every planning, policy and implementation in the state government.
“The realisation of this development requires the commitment of all council members to serve with trust, sincerity and seriousness by prioritising the interests of the people in giving their opinions and ideas.”
On the state’s economic and financial performance, Tuanku Muhriz said reliance on only one sector could undermine the stability of a country in the event of the sector’s declining performance.
“Over the past years, Negri Sembilan’s gross domestic product (GDP) has grown at an average rate of 3.7 per cent per annum.
“In five years, the state’s GDP has increased from RM33.9 billion in 2012 to RM40.7 billion in 2017, and this has contributed to 3.5 per cent of the gross national product.
“Nevertheless, it is worth noting that uncertainty in the economic environment can affect the state’s development and wellbeing of the people.
“For example, the industrial sector is most affected by economic uncertainty. Thus, I am pleased to learn that the state government has diversified into other sectors as contributors to economic progress, such as the hospitality, retail, banking, transport and logistic sectors.
“We hope to boost investors’ participation by having government agencies provide infrastructure facilities and efficient service delivery system with integrity,” he said.
Tuanku Muhriz called for projects that had been developed through the social security network policy to continue and expanded beyond the scope of its implementation, besides focusing on the development of information and communications technology infrastructure, particularly high-speed Internet facilities that could provide scientific and economic benefits to the people.
He added that the government also needed to focus on education, research and health investments.
“Investments that have been implemented by the government in these areas are a just and smart effort that will drive innovation and improve people’s quality of life.”
Earlier, Tuanku Muhriz inspected a guard-of-honour mounted by three officers and 103 members from the Royal Malay Regiment’s 15th Battalion of the Senawang camp.