DOING MORE
Terengganu uses NBOS to solve budget, manpower woes by roping in the community to carry out projects
THE National Blue Ocean Strategy (NBOS) is making waves in Terengganu as an effective tool for government agencies to change the mindset of the people, to become productive and cooperative citizens.
In the past, the state government footed the bill for community projects.
However, this is beginning to change with NBOS applying old ideas in new ways.
Gotong-royong, an idea that is native to Malaysia, is being used to help resource-scarce government agencies and it is showing results.
The state Health Department is leading the way by roping in the community with some persuasion.
If everything goes well, persuasion à la Terengganu may reach other states in the country.
On two occasions, first in Kampung Padang Air and second in Teluk Ketapang, both in Kuala Terengganu, state Health Department director Dr Mohammad Omar, with only a handful of staff members, roped in residents to participate in a gotongroyong to destroy mosquitobreeding grounds and to beautify the environment.
Dr Mohammad said this pilot project of doing more with less, with help from the people, was the Health Ministry’s favourite programme.
When budget is a constraint, the NBOS approach becomes the best approach for government departments to deliver their messages to the public.
How does persuasion à la Terengganu work?
It is a let’s-help-you-to-helpyourself approach, where people are made to “see” projects as a good cause for their community.
In the Kampung Padang Air and Teluk Ketapang cases, residents were shown how their contributions could go a long way in keeping their environment free of diseases, including vectorborne ones.
NBOS has created a sense of belonging and inclusivity among the public. People who used to distance themselves from government programmes are slowly changing their mindset.
It took some convincing to get residents to participate, primarily due to the financial aspect.
This was resolved by the state Health Department, which provided tools, such as paints, brushes, brooms and plastic bags.
Other agencies also chipped in by providing logistical support. The Kuala Terengganu City Council provided lorries and dumpster trucks for residents to dispose of garbage.
All that was needed was cooperation and they got it after getting community leaders to invite the residents.
The NBOS approach has also helped other departments, such as the Forestry Department, to cope with the shortage of manpower by engaging the police and army in its operations to check illegal logging in the state.
Similarly, integrated enforcement between the Forestry and the National Parks and Wildlife Departments has yielded positive results in circumventing the poaching of protected wildlife species.
Active integrated operations that sometimes last for more than a week have deterred poachers and illegal loggers from robbing the forests of their valuable resources.
The adoption of modern technology, including drones, satellites and remote sensors, has enhanced the effectiveness of these agencies.
The NBOS approach has enabled the state Forestry Department to become the best administrator in the country in terms of managing forests and ensuring their sustainability for future generations.
The sharing of logistics has greatly reduced the costs of requisition of technologies, and enhanced coordination among agencies involved in joint operations.
With the bad guys getting bolder after each raid, enforcement agencies need to conduct joint operations to show their strength in numbers and sophistication.
Another achievement under the NBOS is the integration of operations between the Land Public Transport Commission, the police and the Customs and Immigration Departments.
It saves time, money and energy to ensure laws are adhered to.
NBOS is an important initiative in the country’s efforts towards achieving maximum results with minimum costs, as well as a platform to inculcate inclusivity among the people in government programmes.
From civic-related programmes of the Health Department to the more arduous tasks of enforcement of the Forestry Department, NBOS has lived up to its name.
There is no stopping its success if the government and people can work together for a common cause.