Yes minister: Decentralisation boosts efficiency, increases participation

THE subject of decentralisation has surfaced recently and generated much discussion about its prospect and challenges among social and civil society groups, as well as political and academic circles.

It is a trending development in the public administration where systems approach is principally being driven by a strong desire for greater participation of citizens and private sector organisations in governance.

It is a bold departure from the top-down bureaucratic order to a more horizontal and consultative approach where power is devolved to those in the lower rungs of the hierarchy. That same power assumes an extended dimension when it is shared with the community through dialogic participation in planning and implementation of development programmes.

Participation, increased democracy

Because decentralisation promotes participation and strengthens democracy, it is imperative to consider its social and political implications. The two key components may well be the definer of the framework and process of decentralisation.

Politics cannot be ruled out as it may come into play, albeit less overtly, in ensuring that the policy thrust and development agenda of the ruling party as well as the latter’s continued electoral support are effectively met.

Obtaining a clear and comprehensive description of the structure, process, empowerment capacity, power relations, and community engagement regarding decentralisation may need to be established at the outset.

It enables us to gain some insightful understanding of the challenges and prospects.

Notwithstanding, there may also be concern over the creation of a standard decentralisation template to be applied to all the regional development agencies and relevant jurisdictions in the public service across the state.

The process of decentralisation entails giving lower- and middle-level bureaucratic jurisdictions, such district councils and regional development agencies, responsibility over administrative control and decision-making, replacing the central administration.

The Premier, Datuk Patinggi Tan Sri Abang Johari Tun Openg, has acknowledged that excessive centralisation would make it difficult to successfully accomplish the goals set forth for the many areas that fall within the purview of Sarawak’s nine development agencies.

Top-down approach

The complexity of the top-down administrative structure and the unfriendliness of the geographical space and distance pose constraints that would not be conducive to the centralization strategy. Hence, the leadership of the day chose to step up to the plate and acted on the wise decision to adopt a decentralisation approach for the administration and management of the nine recently-set up development agencies.

It is essentially a top-down approach, which includes decentralisation of power, process of decision-making, implementation and evaluation.

Today, decentralisation has emerged as a key component of the Sarawak government’s plan to expedite economic growth and streamline state administration in order to guarantee efficient delivery of development projects and their successful execution.

Ultimately, reorganising the government apparatus to increase its ability to provide residents with effective and efficient services is the goal of decentralisation.

Nine development agencies

The government of Sarawak has taken an early initiative of demonstrating its commitment to decentralisation by establishing nine development agencies, each of which has been tasked with creating the strategies, plans and implementation schedules for the socioeconomic projects earmarked for their respective regions.

In other words, these agencies have been empowered to exercise administrative control and make decisions on matters pertaining to development and budgetary planning of projects.

Each of these agencies is allocated RM1.5 billion to be used within three years after which, additional funds can be obtained for new projects considered useful and relevant to the local community.

The projects are based on the needs of the grassroots and decision-making will involve the local leaders.

Starting with the nine development agencies, decentralisation may be expected to extend its application to other administrative and development jurisdictions in light of the rapid growth of the new economy predicated on green energy and the expansion of digital network where communication and interactivity are becoming increasingly seamless and the people are crossing the line of rigid bureaucracy to be players and influencers of the transformation process.

The decentralisation strategy gives the nine development agencies the authority to plan and embark on social and economic initiatives on their own, as long as they keep the needs and expectations of the local community in mind.

Empowering local community leaders

The local community leaders are an important link in the communication and interaction chain and are in effect empowered by the changed system brought about by decentralisation. Their voices must be heard and heeded by the CEOs or managers of the development agencies. To act otherwise may be courting problems with the local community and incurring the wrath of Putrajaya.

Indeed, the community forms the final and most important link for the development agencies. They are a people whose demography and social nuances must factor in the planning, programming, implementation and evaluation stages of the various projects, and for which the respective regional development agencies must look at goals of development beyond profitability and physical accomplishments.

Many academics and development practitioners believe that effective community participation in development programmes, especially those under the purview of regional development agencies, is one of the ingredients for long-term sustainability.

Yes Minister, community participation is essential for long-term community development in any community.

Effective community participation in development programmes must be fully embraced by the regional development agencies as a core value in their agenda if communities are to achieve sustainable development.

When a programme is not sustainable, its impacts diminish, resulting in unmet expectations and affecting the community’s overall development efforts.

Trust

A key factor that development agencies must be made aware and conscious of is that development strategies can only be fully realised if the people are motivated, actively involved, and organised at the grass-roots level in the conceptualisation and design of policies and programmes.

Trust, too, must be fostered and maintained.

They can also be involved in the establishment of administrative, social and economic institutions, including cooperatives and other forms of voluntary organisations, for the purposes of implementation and evaluation.

At its pinnacle, participation involves a transformation of the traditional development approach towards the enhancement of the capabilities of the local people and communities to define and address their own needs and aspirations.

This viewpoint on participation emphasises the importance of people actively participating in the process, with an emphasis on people’s capabilities.

Community centricity

Community centricity, driven and sustained by devolved power and hailed as a key definer of development programmes, now takes centrestage in the affairs of the development agencies and will provide the preamble for any new development initiative.

‘Participation’ has also departed from the traditional notion of having the group or community on board and making them embrace a development programme launched by the government.

Participation means increasing the scale of power and influence, and obligation and sense of ownership come with that.

Yes Minister, it is a new defining reality that regional development agencies must face up to.

In all this, the development agencies and their decision-makers and planners of growth are morally bound to ‘listen to the people’.

* Toman Mamora is ‘Tokoh Media Sarawak 2022’, recipient of Shell Journalism Gold Award (1996) and AZAM Best Writer Gold Award (1998). He remains true to his decades-long passion for critical writing as he seeks to gain insight into some untold stories of societal value.