Neither giver nor taker be

WHEN the present administration first took office pledging to combat corruption, and when protesters took to the streets three years later to denounce the perceived lack of progress in that regard, it's doubtful that either context encompassed the door gifts, goodie bags and letter-openers routinely presented to guests of honour gracing events with their presence to do the ribbon-cutting, gong-banging and plaque-signing honours. This makes it almost charming that the Anti-Corruption Agency (ACA) should spend so much thought on drafting guidelines on gifts to public servants.

The problem is that such efforts presumably to educate civil servants on proper behaviour imply that common sense is lacking among the target audience. Do public servants in positions of authority seriously need to be told not to give jobs or projects to their friends and relatives, or to not use their offices for personal gratification? Is it not obvious that financial bequests to a government department should be made known to the relevant ministry? Most bemusing of all is the injunction that luxury gifts such as watches or branded accessories need to be reported to the prime minister, when surely the core principle here is that there's no reason for such transactions in the first place.

But this is a tradition -- and an elegant one at that. It has always been part of our cultures and values that guests are honoured, treated well and not left empty-handed. Even if economic development leading to the expansion of the petty bourgeoisie has seen this evolve from a measure of rice to a jewelled wristwatch, isn't the generous and hospitable intent the same? Not quite. Implicit in the ACA's guidelines is the knowledge that such salutations, from lavish presents to felicitous notices in the newspaper, are calculated to establish a special relationship with their recipients. A kindness now might anticipate reciprocity later; a favour between friends, perhaps?

It would be glaringly lopsided, therefore, if the ACA's guidelines to public servants were not balanced with an equal-but-opposite exhortation to the private sector. Enough with the gewgaws and fripperies, the pewter plates, special gifts and congratulatory ads, in attempting to groom relations with the government. They are a waste of money and resources, and an ethically grey area best avoided. Offer a donation to charity, perhaps, instead of further burdening the chief executive with deciding what to do with officers who have no compunction against flashing bling they could never afford personally.

The Editorial : NST Online.

Leave politics to politicians, civil servants told

PUTRAJAYA: Civil servants should “let politics be handled by politicians” and concentrate on carrying out their administrative duties and responsibilities.

Prime Minister Datuk Seri Abdullah Ahmad Badawi said he did not want to hear complaints, particularly about staff at the Finance Ministry, that a project could not go on as planned because the matter was “stuck at the Treasury.” “The Treasury should not act as a hindrance to the implementation of projects under the Ninth Malaysia Plan. In the last four years, we have planned many projects but there was not enough implementation. The mid-term review is currently going on. “So, within these last few years under the 9MP, we have to further enhance our implementation. The Treasury is the main agency involved because many other ministries refer to it for vital decisions. “I don’t want these projects to get stuck at the Treasury and for it to become the cause of delay,” he said in his speech at the ministry’s monthly assembly here Monday. Abdullah, who is also the First Finance Minister, urged the ministry staff to continue re-training themselves and told them that they should not think of human capital development as only relevant to those entering universities.

By SIM LEOI LEOI The Star Online

Change mindset on blogging

THE negative perception about bloggers and blogging should be changed, said Centre for Policy Initiatives chief executive officer Dr Lim Teck Ghee. Dr Lim said blogging could be seen as an alternative media to the masses. “It provides a platform for public discourse irrespective of their background. The notion that bloggers mainly have negative intentions including bringing down the government and destroying the country's racial harmony is an erroneous view and politically motivated,” he said. He added that most bloggers were concerned about the nation. “Having a healthy public discourse will help unify the nation and build the country as well,” he added.Therefore, the Centre for Policy Initiatives is organising a half-day public discourse at Lake View Club, Subang Jaya, on May 1.

By SALINA KHALID; The STAR Online

Governmental reform and reengineering aimed at regaining public confidence

BERNAMA

PUTRAJAYA, Mon.:
The government is determined to carry out reforms and reengineering in its political, administrative and policy aspects to regain public confidence following last month's general election, said Datuk Seri Najib Tun Razak today.
The Deputy Prime Minister said the government has the political will and commitment to undertake the reforms after receiving the general election results in an open manner.“The people’s voice is of utmost importance and determines everything in the system of parliamentary democracy,” he said at the Monthly Assembly of the Prime Minister’s Department here.He said the government is determined to carry out soul-searching and listen to the voice of the people and it is not merely paying lip-service but is responding to the people’s voice in a sincere and bold manner.“Our reform has not gone far enough compared to the people’s aspirations,” he said.
Najib said the people are now more educated and becoming more concerned about developments in the country and thus, whatever promises made by the government must be fulfilled.The government is committed in providing service to the people without marginalising any group, he said.He wants the civil servants to understand the people’s “psyche” because they did not show their feelings through demonstrations but through the general election.The Deputy Prime Minister said more “people-centric projects” will be implemented including providing houses and the `Hardcore Poor Housing Programmes”. “The government will ensure that its efforts will provide prosperity to the people,” he said.Najib said the government is aware that the opposition were using the “populist approach” while the government adopted the “correct approach” and “prudence approach” in the country’s financial management.“We have to convince the people that our approach is the best for the country’s future,” he said.In implementing the reforms and reengineering, the government must look into the woes of the people who felt that the country’s economy was not growing although the economic growth was between 5.5 and six per cent.“Similarly, we succeeded in bringing down the poverty rate significantly but on the ground, the situation was not commensurate or in tangent with the rate.Very soon, he said, Prime Minister Datuk Seri Abdullah Ahmad Badawi wanted reforms in the judiciary to be implemented so that the people would have greater confidence in the country’s judicial system.Najib said the government is hoping for the cooperation of all members of the civil service in implementing the reforms.

Seni Perang - The Art of War

" If U are ignorant of both your enemy and yourself,

then U are a fool and certain to be defeated in every battle "

" If U know yourself, but not your enemy,

for every battle won, U still suffer a loss. "

" If U know your enemy and yourself,

U will win every battle. "

Sun Tzu

The Zon Regency -Johor Bahru

Magnanimous battle ground

Strategic Plan - About Mission

The Zon Regency (Eden Garden) - Mind boggling Strategic Plan sharing session

"One should not search for an abstract meaning in life,

Everyone has his own specific vocation or MISSION in life

to carry out a concrete assignment which demands fulfillment."

Victor Frankl

"I know where I'm going and I know the truth, and I don't have to be what you want me to be. I'm free to be what I want. "

Muhammad Ali

Many people say their purpose in life is to be successful, be happy, or love more. These are great concepts, but they lack specificity. You cannot succed unless you have a clear definition of what it means to you. You won't be consistently happy unless you closely examine what you are doing when you are happiest, and then do more of that. You won't experience love as your life's purpose unless you understand what it means to express it through your actions, words, and deeds.

Everyone has a mission. When you discover yours, dedicate your life to it. Never deny your purpose and definition of success just because they don't match those of others. You will never feel successful unless you are doing what you feel most compelled to do.

Strategic Plan - About Vision

'Fisheye view from The Zon by the sea - Looking towards the 

proposed 'Jambatan Bengkok' - Vision not realised'

" Give us clear VISION that we may know where we stand

and what to stand for - because unless we stand for something,

we shall fall for anything."

Peter Marshall

Kita dianugerahkan keupayaan mempunyai visi. Kita melihat masa depan hanya dengan mimpi. Bagi merealisasikan visi, bagaimanapun, kita mestilah melukisnya di dalam bentuk yang hidup didalam fikiran orang lain sebagaimana juga difikiran kita. Kita mestilah dapat menyatakan visi kita itu dengan jelas dan terang. Jadikannya sesuatu yang mendebarkan hati dan bersinar didalam sanubari agar setiap daripada kita menghayati dan menjiwainya. Kalau ianya tidak mempunyai roh dan sinar harapan yang menarik minat, maka orang orang yang kita pimpin mungkin tercari cari visi lain yang yang melakaran harapan yang lebih dari apa yang ada mengenai masa depan dan kehidupan yang memberi harapan yang bermakna. 

Sharing BPM - Strategy "Quote and Riddle"

The Zone Regency - The Burning Platform

" Without a strategy the organization is like a ship

without a rudder, going around in circles"

Joel Ross and Michael Kami

Alice : Which way should I go?

Cat : That depends on where you are going.

Alice : I don't know where I'm going!

Cat : Then it doesn't matter which way you go!

Lewis Carrol 1872

Through The Looking Glass

What is strategy?

A strategy consists of the set of action and approaches that an organization employs to manage the stakeholders affairs.

Strategy is  management's "game plan" to 

• satisfy the customer
  
• Stake out a position both locally and internationally
  
• Conduct operations
  
• Complete successfully
  
• Achieve organisational objective and mandate.

"Less than 10% of strategies effectively formulated are effectively executed"

"90 % of organizations do not execute strategy successfully"

from Fortune Magazine

What is Vision ?

"Where there is no vision, the people perish."

"Vision without action is merely a dream. Action without

vision just passes the time. Vision with action can change the world,"

Joel Barker.

One of the greatest leadership challenges is to articulate a clear, concise vision of what you want your world to look like - and then to be able to continuosly change and update the view as situation change.

Without vision, your world will spin, but you won't make much progress. Without a willingness and ability to adapt your vision, the dreams you share will grow stale and uninspiring.

Get clear about where you are headed, but constantly adapt the picture you're painting and communicate those changes to those you lead. That will make it easier for others to follow.

Civil service must respond to conventional and alternative media, says Sidek Hassan

The civil service has to respond not only to the conventional but also the alternative media to deliver services more efficiently, Chief Secretary to the Government Tan Sri Mohd Sidek Hassan said today. “Gone are the days when public officials could choose to ignore the media, complaints, telephone rings or even letters to editors,” he said during a luncheon talk titled “Challenges of Malaysian Business Competitiveness in the Global Economy”.  He said the notion that the alternative media was associated with “young punks” no longer holds true as it now knows no age limit. Sidek said the speed of information is such that countries and companies of today needed web-based crisis management plans to address effects of negative blogging in times of crisis. “Even the prime minister himself has initiated a website for the public to write in directly to him on any issues. If the prime minister is taking and making all efforts to engage the public individually and directly, surely this clearly sets the standard of service for the public and private sectors,” he said.

fr The NST Online.

Current number of active bloggers in Malaysia

MALAYSIA has about 500,000 active bloggers, ranking the country among the highest in the world after Indonesia and the European Union,Utusan Malaysia reported. According to Universiti Malaya media department lecturer, Dr Abu Hassan Hasbullah, this showed the power of blogs in influencing the thinking of the people, especially about politics. He said blogs currently had a wide reach considering how many Internet users visited these sites everyday. “Our research shows that 70% of the election results were influenced by information in the blogs,” he said. Dr Abu Hassan said the ruling government could use blogs but pointed out that it would take a long time for it to be popular.