Democratic continuity in times of crisis - SERI

THIS International Day of Parliamentarism is an opportunity to celebrate parliaments, as the cornerstone of democracy, and as an institution which hasbeen deliberately founded to advance, enhance,and safeguard the rakyat .COVID-19 has increased the need for a strong and effective parliament. The adoption of emergency ordinances and government-mandated restrictions have resulted in great confusion and lack of clarity, as people attempt to navigate the new normal.

While the pandemic has unveiled the gaps and flaws in our systems, it has granted us the opportunity to strategise and strengthen economic, societal, and infrastructural resilience, effectiveness and responsiveness. The inactivity from the Dewan Rakyat has proved a wasted opportunity to address society’s needs at a time when existing mechanisms and structures have failed to do so.

COVID-19 has severely disrupted the lives of the rakyat and illustrated the importance of a functioning democracy, especially during a crisis. It is not merely the responsibility of the Dewan Rakyat or Dewan Negara, but it is for all the bipartisan parliamentary committees to work together in efforts t ocushion the socioeconomic fallout and overcome the ill-effects of the pandemic. Instead of idly languishing in a time of crisis, Parliament should be empowered to function at its fullest.

The pandemic has forced well-established parliamentary procedures to a staggering halt. This is a critical time for parliamentary democracy as people are losing trust in political institutions and democracy itself is facing challenges from populist and nationalist movements. It is imperative for parliament to be strong, accountable,and representative for democracy to thrive.

The Way Forward

1.Trust, Collaboration & Inclusivity

The International Day of Parliamentarism calls for a review of the progress and advancements made by Parliament in ensuring Malaysia’s development and adaptation to the ever-evolving societal needsand digital technologies. The rakyat’s trust in political institutions, including that of Parliament itself has been undermined by prominent scandals, allegations of corruption and breaches or abuse of power. Hence, creating greater impetus for the establishment of appropriate safeguards and check and balances to create an efficient system of justice that promotes the stances in the United Nations Sustainable Development Goal 16-Peace, Justice and Strong Institutions.

Amidst this public health and socioeconomic crisis, it is crucial for Parliament to build the trust of the people and to be independent and impartial while operating in the interest of the country. Governance and integrity are the fundamental pillars ensuring a strong and effective Parliament. We need to fully understand the needs of the people, implement sustainable growth,and ensure that the system is fair and equitable.

The youth are immensely under-represented in political decision-making which would affect their future. A youth perspective is essential as these perspectives, ideas and talents are fundamental to address and tackle many of the obstacles faced by ou rsociety. Democracies are stronger if parliaments are representative of all groups and voices in society. Collaboration and cooperation between political parties across the spectrum is essential for a holistic government approach in ensuring effective policy making and implementation.

Parliament should institutefuture-proof legislation in parallel with technology, risk,and regulatory developments. Democratising access to opportunity and harnessing the power of technology will alleviate the injustices plaguing the society during this socioeconomic fallout.

2. Accelerating adaptability through regulatory transformation

Future-proof and robust regulatory frameworks must be fortified to ensure that th erakyat is not thrown into a frenzy and abruptly forced to adapt and manage the socioeconomic fallout of a crisis without any understandable roadmap or direction. Parliament should view the disruption caused by the pandemic as a catalyst for regulatory transformation as opposed to a hindrance. Agile policy making should encompass regulations, policies, systems, infrastructure, resources,and contingency plans to anticipate and enable quick responses to crises like pandemics. A data-driven, and human-centric civil service would enable us to build future-readiness, develop inclusive policies and deploy responsive services to address and alleviate inequalities.

3. Data-driven policymaking

Technology has the ability to increase productivity, reduce management costs, unlock insights from data, and create greater efficiency across government –this will require digital transformation across people, process, and technology.

To achieve this,policymakers, and policy making have to evolve in tandem with technology advancement. For example, to achieve the government’s aim to enable cashless payments for all government services by 2022, we will need to transform systems and processes, train people, and shift mindsets.

The elimination of data silos would enable greater collaboration and coordination between government agencies and ministries. Shared intelligence across organizations, government entities and private institutions would enable data to be converted into actionable insights. This would improve the response time to pandemics, crises, and everyday issues.

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*SERI is a non-partisan think-tank dedicated to the promotion of evidence-based policies that address issues of inequality.

**The views and opinions expressed in this article are those of the author(s) and do not necessarily reflect the position of Astro AWANI.