CIVIL SOCIETY EMPOWERMENT TOWARDS EFFICIENT URBAN GOVERNANCE IN KUALA LUMPUR CITY-REGION

ABSTRACT

The aim of this paper is to discuss on the concept of civil society empowerment towards efficient urban governance in Kuala Lumpur city-region. This is in line with Malaysia new government policy on the implementation of One Malaysia, People First, Performance Now. National Development has been a major issue in the country’s latest development agenda. The issue is more obvious in city-region due to its role as an engine of growth economy development. Now, with its sights set on attaining the economic level of a fully developed nation by 2020, Malaysia must focus on securing a credible share of the lead sectors of the globalised economy. The world today needs a new, comprehensive and holistic model of urban governance that involves all sectors (government, business and the civil society) as equal partners in development. Urban governance which integrates all sectors including public, private and other social organisations in participatory decision making. Efficient urban governance is characterized by sustainability, subsidiarity, equity, efficiency, transparency and accountability, civic engagement and citizenship and security. In line with this, Malaysia emphasis the importance efficient urban governance that would make Malaysia more competitive and attractive to investors and facilitate the achievement of the nation’s development goals.

Keywords: civil society, empowerment, efficient urban governance, city-region

 The article was published in MALAYSIAN TOWNPLAN JOURNAL Vol 08 Issue 01 December 2012 and prepared by  Dr. Azmizam Abdul Rashid (azmizam@townplan.gov.my)

THE ESTABLISHMENT OF A NEW GOVERNANCE FRAMEWORK

Recently, studies  shown that public accept Prime Minister Datuk Seri Mohd Najib Tun Abdul Razak's leadsership is high. The majority is satisfied with his performance. However two of the main things in the hearts of the people are, first, the cost of living associated with wages and incomes, and second, mature democracy associated with the political transformation.The Prime Minister is committed to both these matters. Therefore, he announced the New Remuneration of Public Service (SBPA) and the Peace Assembly 2011 (PA2011). The response of the people of the two announcements was very encouraging. But, unfortunately, due to the lack of consultation the government agencies responsible for the two initiatives with interested parties, then, there are weaknesses in PA2011, while the SBPA is canceled.  These two cases represent narratives that perception gap. Meaning, people receive good Najib policies, but doubts on the implementation by government agencies.

The question is, what should be done to bridge the perception gap? To me, one of the answer is to create "new governance framework". What is commonly discussed is good governance. Good governance such as transparency and accountability is part of the new governance framework. However, the new governance framework is wider than good governance. New governance framework refers management a better country than what it is today. What is now the frame is too oriented government.  This framework is not ideal. This is because in the nation today, in addition to the government, there are two other development sectors, namely business and civil society.New governance framework involving all three sectors, namely government, business and civil society as partners in the development of synergies and decision-making structure for all sectors at all levels.  New governance framework predicate of some contemporary political thought. These include the often expressed as the Prime Minister, that the days in which government knows everything is over and the recognition of civil society organizations; democracy is not only limited to the election, and people want to speak and participate in decision making.

Today, the business sector and civil society is involved in decision-making structures and processes are limited. New governance model that perfectly frame is not available.   Now, it has been extended to state and district levels. The latest, it will be expanded as the Youth Parliament.  What new governance framework relevant to people's perception gap on Najib and the government? The answer is that this framework will provide opportunities for all three sectors of the development to provide genuine consultation, which describes the policies, get feedback and thus produce the best results. It will reduce the likelihood of the gap between the announced policy to implementation. In addition, the fact that what is important is that the new governance framework is part of the practice of "new politics", the political culture of a more healthy and fresh towards a mature democracy and progressive according to the political landscape today.

CORE 6: EFFECTIVE URBAN GOVERNANCE UNDER NATIONAL URBANIZATION POLICY (NUP)

NUP 27

INSTITUTIONAL CAPACITY BE STRENGTHENED TO IMPLEMENT THE URBAN ADMINISTRATION AND MANAGEMENT MORE EFFICIENT AND EFFECTIVE

a. Restructure the institutions of urban management organizations

b. Increasing employment in all levels of local authorities include improving the technical staff of the management team and professionals

c. Referring to the benchmark and adjust the developed countries in order to determine the number of employment professionals

d. Expanding services at the local government to enable job rotation, more opportunities for promotion and transfer of officers of local authorities in the same country

e. Review and coordinate the relevant legislation the administration and urban management

f. Entered the planning of a comprehensive human resource development, including job rotation, 'job enrichment', promotion opportunities and provide ongoing training to enhance the capacity, capability and staff expertise

g. Establish a special training institutions for urban management

h. Provide leadership and management of a dynamic, robust and good performance capabilities

i. Identify new revenue sources and improve financial management

j. Implement asset management more efficient and systematic manner to ensure quality of service and extend the life span of equipment

k. Streamline regulations and procedures related to planning approval and land use

l. Expedite approval of development

m. Using information and communications technology to improve management quality and improving the provision of services by implementing electronic systems such as e-licensing ',' e-assessment ',' e-Submission 'and

n. aking innovative approaches and methods to improve the effectiveness of the procedure, control is more flexible, broader community participation and use of latest technology

NUP 28

THE PRACTICE OF GOOD CORPORATE GOVERNANCE TO PROMOTE AN OPEN MANAGEMENT CULTURE, INTEGRITY AND RESPONSIBILITY

a. Applying the principles of corporate governance in the administration

b. Implement programs Islam Hadhari

c. National Integrity Plan (PIN)

d. Reduce bureaucracy

e. Running an efficient and strict monitoring

f. Improve delivery systems

g. Implementing effective leadership and management

h. Applying transparency

i. Managing finance and resources wisely

j. Implement 'Key Performance Indicators'

k. Prepare and adopt a code of city governance for all local authorities

l. Practicing management and work culture based on knowledge

m. mproving institutions directly involved in community activities

NUP 29
ENCOURAGED COMMUNITY INVOLVEMENT IN PLANNING AND URBAN GOVERNANCE

a. Implement the "Local Agenda 21" in the process of preparing policies, strategies and action plans of sustainable development

b. Establish a division of the local authority for coordinating and managing programs to enhance participation of local communities

c. Ensure that all local authorities established the public relations unit

d. Federal and state governments provide funding for managing Comunity Involvement Program

e. Facilitate the public to obtain information relating to planning and urban governance

f. Increasing public awareness of the cultural aspects of design and maintenance

g. Encourage community participation, private and BBK in development planning and managing the urban environment

h. JKKK move and encourage the formation of residents' associations and Neighbourhood Watch

i. Encourage private companies and NGOs to contribute to the development of community facilities

NUP 30

USE OF INNOVATIVE TECHNOLOGY IN THE DESIGN, DEVELOPMENT AND MANAGEMENT OF URBAN SERVICES

a. Develop and use innovative technology in the planning, provision of infrastructure and utilities, and management of urban services

b. Using information and communication technology efficiently to enhance the performance of administrative services and information dissemination to the public

c. Adopt technologies that reduce waste generation

d. Promoting environmentally friendly building with the concept of 'green building' and the efficient use of energy

e. Using renewable energy resources efficiently

MY ACADEMIC JOURNALS PUBLICATIONS FROM 2008-2011

1. Empowering the Global City-Region - The Crucial Roles of Local Government published by World Applied Sciences Journal Volume 13 (Sustainable Development Impact from the Socio-Environmental Perspectives) page 82-86, 2011http://www.idosi.org/wasj/wasj13(SDISEP)11/5.pdf

2. The Efficient Urban Governance in Managing and Enhancing Competitiveness of Property Markets in Kuala Lumpur City-Region published by E-Bangi / The National University of Malaysia (UKM), Volume 5, Issue 1, page 116-131, October 2010.http://www.ukm.edu.my/e-bangi/index.php/en/component/jresearch/?view=publication&task=show&id=93

3 The Implementation of E-Government in Local Authorities Towards Enhancing Urban Governance Efficiency : Case Study Subang Jaya Municipal Council published by GEOGRAFIA - Malaysian Journal of Society and Space / The National University of Malaysia (UKM) Volume 6, Issue 1, page 1-12, January 2010. http://www.ukm.my/geografia/images/upload/1.2010-1-Azmizam%20Hamzah%20Jalal-english-3.pdf

4. Efficient Urban Governance in Managing and Enhancing Competitiveness of The Kuala Lumpur City-Region published by Asian Profile : Asia's International Journal, Volume 37, Issue 56, page 597-612 / Asian Research Service, Canada December 2009.
http://www.asianresearchservice.com/v37.htm#6

5. The Role of Efficient Urban Governance in Managing Kuala Lumpur City-Region Development published Asian Social Science, Volume 5, Issue 8, page 14-32 / Canadian Center of Science and Education, August 2009. http://www.ccsenet.org/journal/index.php/ass/article/view/3431/3109

6. Efficiency in Urban Governance Towards Sustainability and Competitiveness of City: A Case Study of Kuala Lumpur published by World Academy of Science, Engineering and Technology (WASET) Paris,  Issue 16 Article 79 page 443- 456, April 2008. http://www.waset.org/journals/waset/v40/v40-79.pdf

CLASS 09GYB210 - GLOBALIZATION

Last Monday and Tuesday, I attended Dr John Harrison's lecture on Globalization. He has listed below some questions to help guide me reading of Neil Brenner’s book ‘New State Spaces’ (NSS), but also other material relevant to this block of lectures. I will see that most of it is not asking me to understand every line/paragraph/page of the book, more where the ideas come from and key terms/concepts to explain what is going on:

1. What 2 word concept does Bob Jessop use to explain the rescaling of state power?

2. In which 3 directions has state power been rescaled? example 2 are obvious but what is the 3rd?

3. What 3 terms does Bob Jessop attach to the 3 directions that state power has been rescaled?

4. Have Bob Jessop and Neil Brenner's paths crossed? (look at their biographies - webpage’s online!) Have they collaborated, and if so, who else has been involved and what have they done?

5. Who do Bob Jessop and Neil Brenner draw their main inspiration from? You are looking for one person in Neil's case and two in Bob's; example could this explain their slightly different take on the same topic?

6. Where did Neil Brenner visit to get inspiration for NSS? (see intro/preface to NSS) nb most of it is based on studying one part of the world. Why do you think this area of the world was a good place to study? What was going on during the late 1980s through the 1990s when Neil was there?

7. Which major geographical debate of the last decade has Neil Brenner been involved in? Does this link into any of the concepts/debates covered in this block of lectures?

8. Why do they both talk about 'governance' and not 'government'? What is the difference - how does it fit into what you know from lectures? Think pre-1970 and post-1970.

EFFICIENT GOVERNANCE GEARING TOWARDS BEING WORLD CLASS

The effectiveness and efficiency of the public service as well as its facilitating role has helped the country's economic development. This we have accomplished through the introduction of numerous administrative measures which are designed to provide high quality services to the private sector and the society at large. To be world class, and at par with the best, we have to continue the quality revolution in the public service. In fact I would suggest we think of two Qs: Quality and Quickness. One of the important attributes of quality is to be responsive to customer needs and this means Quickness of Response. Members of the public want speedy approvals of their house plans, certificates of fitness for occupation of their newly-built houses, quick service at the immigration counters, at hospital dispensaries etc. The business community want quick approvals for company incorporation, trade licences, manufacturing licences, duty drawbacks, patent rights, approval of industrial premises, crucial market information on their products and services, etc.

If speed is the essence in doing business, then systems and procedures, particularly those that ensure accuracy, reliability, consistency and simplicity will have to be put in place. The public service will be implementing ISO 9000 very soon. Malaysia will be the first country that will adopt ISO 9000 in its entire public service. Gearing ourselves to world class means that we will gear ourselves to implementing ISO 9000. Training of public servants should emphasise the sharpening of core competencies covering the three broad areas of conceptual, technical and interpersonal skills. However, the emphasis will vary depending on whether the officer is in the upper, middle or lower levels of management. The conceptual skills are skills related to `higher order activity' more relevant to the upper level management where the need is to see issues, recognise problems, strategise, and think systems.

On the other hand, the technical skills are the operational skills, the hands-on type of skills which are needed at the lower rung of management. The middle level management needs a balance of both the conceptual and the technical skills as they act as the interface between the top level management and the lower level of management. However, across all levels of management is the requirement for interpersonal skills. No one works alone in any organization; people will have to network and build relationships at all levels of management vertically as well as horizontally. World class also means the ability to command resources and operate beyond borders. In this regard, our public service should have the ability to support our private sector to effectively operate beyond our shores. There are many ways in which this can be done. Firstly, in business, the question of integrity and image are very critical elements.

In this connection, besides facilitating the business sector through enhancing the administrative processes, the public service must see itself as the custodian of Malaysia's good image overseas, and assist in the conduct of business with good ethics, to see that our businessmen conduct dealings with reputable partners overseas; secondly, the public service has to focus on establishing connections and networking; examine investment opportunities and facilitate the entry of Malaysian products and services to new markets. The country should never be allowed to suffer from a deep crisis of faith in the public service; the people must not criticise us as a faceless bureaucracy that is unable to accurately meet personalized services; the people must not be allowed to spend their precious time finding answers to their questions, after being bounced from department to department.

The new information technology appears to be the key enabler of public service transformation. The notion of an electronic civil service seem to spark interest. During the 9th Malaysia Plan period, the thrust of IT development will be to further develop IT infrastructure in order to create a strong foundation for building a knowledge-based industrial economy. We are on the threshold of an electronic civil service, an internetworked civil service, linking with the tax payers, suppliers, business customers etc; some institutions in the society such as schools, laboratories, mass media, hospitals and other nations around the world. To a certain extent, the public service has used the electronic system to deliver better quality services and products to the public more quickly, cost effectively, and conveniently. In other words, gearing towards world class must mean designing delivery of services around the needs of our clients, rather than just the old structures or the convenience of civil servants.

GOOD GOVERNANCE IN PUBLIC SECTOR

We believe that to be successful, we must always consider a systems-wide approach. Our actions, especially in the area of good governance and anti-corruption, should not only be aimed at instilling the right values and attitudes, but should go beyond that, to strengthening processes, institutions, as well as punitive measures. Integral to a public service of integrity is one with good governance. And as many of you may be aware, in the past years, we have vigorously pursued efforts to improve the public service delivery system to make it more efficient, transparent and accountable. The benefits of an improved public service delivery system are wide-ranging, encompassing positive effects on the economy through a reduction in the cost of doing business, through better allocation of resources, and through shorter time needed to complete a transaction. In enhancing the delivery of services, both big businesses and the man-on-the-street can benefit but equally, if not more important, it ensures a better functioning public service delivery system.

Today, customers demand fast, efficient and quality service in a conducive environment, when dealing with the Government. Effective and optimum use of information and communication technology (ICT) will definitely contribute towards improving the quality of the public service delivery system. Before we go any further, it would be useful to establish common ground in our understanding of the operative term, INTEGRITY, for the purpose of our discussion tonight. Integrity, can be defined as “continuous adherence to moral principles, honesty, wholeness, the quality of being unimpaired; soundness”. The Malaysian Integrity Institute or IIM defines integrity as wholesome attributes of an individual or organisation based on values such as honesty, trustworthiness, fairness, competence, transparency and accountability.

When we deliberate the topic of integrity, the general take is to link integrity to corruption. The level of corruption is a reflection of the state of integrity of a public service and the effectiveness of its delivery systems. But integrity is more than just fighting against corruption. Integrity lies in the conduct of both institutions and individuals. It can be reflected in the implementation of control mechanisms and level of compliance with prescribed rules as mandated by an institution. It is also evident in the conduct of public officers in the execution of their duties. Delivering services with a sense of urgency is as much a matter of integrity as it is to ensure the proper execution of a tender process for procurement of goods and services. Likewise the case of staff manning counters – providing services to our customers within the time and quality standards promised in the client’s charter, service with a smile, also reflects integrity. On the other hand not taking action to improve work processes when there is room for us to do so is a reflection of a lack of integrity. Therefore integrity, or the lack thereof, is demonstrated in all dimensions of our actions whether at the organisational or individual level. And, this applies to both civilian and military services.

THE MEANING OF EFFICIENCY IN GOVERNMENT SECTORS

The issue of efficiency in the use of resources is a critical factor for the whole of the public sector. As a considerable portion of national expenditure goes to the development and maintenance of the armed forces, it is only fair that citizens demand and expect the highest level of integrity within the military organisation. It is thus necessary to ensure that the allocated funds are used in a transparent, ethical and efficient manner. In this there can be no compromise. The government must ensure the highest level of integrity when utilising its financial provisions for its development and operations. As indicated earlier, integrity encompasses all processes and procedures. Careful planning and good governance is necessary in the procurement of military hardware and weaponry systems that may require long term funding commitments. The Government has the right to demand value-for-money.

There should be no repeat of the incidences of highly questionable procurement and maintenance contracts. The use of public funds within the context of a democratic platform demands that the necessary oversight and control mechanisms are put in place and are seen to be effective. Government must ensure systematic assessment of its programmes and projects to ensure results and cost-effectiveness. Maintenance and battle readiness of military equipment also require critical attention. We are referring here to the highly sophisticated and expensive equipment including fleet management. Naturally all of these call for a maintenance culture of the highest order encompassing systems, processes and people. When we do not pay sufficient attention to maintenance schedules, do not ensure personnel are trained on the correct use of equipment or are lackadaisical in the safe storage of equipment, it reflects an institutional environment that does not place enough emphasis on integrity.

All, regardless of whether in the government departments, need to consistently build the necessary support infrastructure for a maintenance culture that works with clockwork precision. In the constrained financial times that we are facing now, it is even more imperative that upkeep and maintenance be given priority to mitigate the difficulty in procuring new resources. Another area of importance is in the implementation of development projects. Our performance on the execution of development projects is often used as a yardstick to evaluate and measure the effectiveness and efficiency of the Government’s service delivery system. Issues such as project delays, cost over-runs and substandard quality of work are often cited when assessing the implementation of development projects.

The mechanisms for monitoring and control are in place. Rules and regulations have been prescribed. Personnel have been trained and exposed to good project management practices. Yet often the results show otherwise. In many cases they point to weak implementation and supervision. We need to be serious about monitoring and supervision. If we are not thorough and lack the stamina to follow through on agreed timelines and deadlines, it means that we have failed the integrity test yet again. Inculcating values, attitudes and behaviours based on the principles of integrity and justice is arguably the most important element in the fight against corruption. Values and attitudes are shaped by an individual's upbringing and his or her life experiences. In organisations, whether private or public or the military, leaders must be at the forefront against corrupt practices. They lead honest lives based on principles of justice and integrity, and in so doing lead by example.

THE ROLE OF CORPORATE GOVERNANCE IN THE CURRENT GLOBAL ECONOMIC

The current global economic challenges have put MNC and TNC in the front and centre of attention. They are under the microscope, their past actions are being scrutinized and their behaviour and actions going forward are being closely watched. They are expected to rise to the challenge and steer their organizations and corporations out of troubled waters that the world economy is now in. The business world is witnessing massive upheaval and scandalous revelations. The crisis calls for a re-examination of the corporate culture and the way business has been done. In some of the scandalous revelations in the US, it has proven that business as usual is not an option any more. That model has been broken. A new way needs to be found. It calls for active, innovative, aggressive corporate governance and bold decisions. In view of this, effective corporate governance has never been more important.

Periods of economic stress test the ability and capability of MNC and TNC and demands that they rise to the challenges. Crisis tests an individual’s abilities more than the good times ever do. Undoubtedly, most leaders will be tested by a few minor and major crises during their tenure. How the individual steers through such troubled times will show the mettle he or she is made of. The MNC and TNC of today are being tested on several levels, both internally and externally. While they may have some control over their internal environment, they certainly do not know what awaits them externally in the current volatile business environment. Loyal and hardworking employees are the best asset of any organization, and yes, even in the high tech era and in the computerized age. It is important to retain talent and more so during difficult times. Strengthen and retain what you have.

Pull your talent together and take decisive decisions. Do not let good talent get away. It will be more difficult to find them when the recovery comes, which will come, just as the sun will rise again tomorrow. Today, the MNC and TNC is expected to be pro-active in contingency planning, to anticipate and prepare responses. Expediency in the appropriate response can negate losses. As the Chinese word for crisis, Wei ji, is composed of two characters signifying “Opportunity” and “Danger”, the current crisis with its many downsides also offers opportunities. It is necessary for business leaders and MNC and TNC to seek out the possibilities in these challenging times. You must do this to remain relevant, sustainable and competitive. Corporate governance is a demanding role even during times of relative calm. It calls for balancing of internal and inter-business relationships and more so during a crisis, when courage and desire to lead well and effectively are put to the test.

Businesses are downsizing, retrenching and reducing the number of work days. Many of the institutions that were household names around the world have disappeared and the workings of their internal corporate culture has been shaken to the core. The faith and confidence of their employees, shareholders and customers has been shattered and it will be an uphill task to regain their trust and rebuild the company’s reputation. In the fast paced world of business, MNC and TNC must not only multi-task and cater to the varied and different demands on their time from the multitude of constituents; but they must be ahead of the business cycle in ensuring the continued survival of their businesses. While the bottom line and the financial performance of a company is important, there is more to running a corporation than just bottom lines. The continued survival of the company and that of the MNC and TNC will depend on the corporate governance and skills demonstrated in enhancing competitiveness and efficiency of the corporation; retaining and building confidence of their employees, maintaining trust of shareholders and retaining loyalty of customers.

In the current difficult environment MNC and TNC are required to deliver far more than they have done so in the past. A lot rests on your shoulders as business leaders – shareholders, employees, customers and the community at large demand total commitment from business leaders to deliver on your promise to provide the best service and quality products with honesty and integrity. They will accept nothing less.

NEW GOVERNANCE IN THE PUBLIC SERVICE

The concept of leadership is neither new nor unique to the public service. It has been discussed frequently be it at the public or business forums as well as literature. It seems however, that interest in public service leadership has had resurgence in recent years. An OECD Survey shows that many OECD governments, including Germany, Norway, the UK and the US, have given high priority to this issue during the last couple of years. The Survey also highlighted that there seems to be a missing link or gap between the underlying values of public service and the interests of the citizens served. It is acknowledged that the influence of public service leadership in terms of policy advices, policy implementation and decision making have profound and extensive impact on the life of the people. Nevertheless, the influence has a further line of sight in repercussions if not delivered efficiently. For instance, a flawed decision may have tremendous consequences to the society at large.

Leadership is indeed a critical component of good public governance. By governance, which the underlying values of a nation are articulated and institutionalised. It is these values that will guide the actions of public officials throughout the system and they must be embedded in culture. The question is how we actualize these values in the public service. The primary function of public service is to translate the national vision into tangible outcomes. The Malaysian Public Service has been successful in their efforts to drive national development and nation building as well as enhancing and upgrading capacity and capabilities. Within a short period of five decades, we have managed not only to build our nation, but set our foothold in the global arena. These developments congruent towards a maturing society and a maturing nation. The challenges of the 21st century however, is to steer the nation into a new dimension both locally and globally.

It is alarming to note that despite the numerous measures undertaken to improve the public service delivery, a recent survey by the Malaysian Integrity Institute, indicates that the public’s impression of public service delivery is even lower than its perception on corruption. In this context, there is a need for the profiling of the public service image. The public service must look at its role with a new pair of eyes and through a fresh lens to ensure it rises to the challenges put before Malaysia with unsullied solutions. Profiling the public service image can be translated through the inculcation of values which must be embedded among the public officials and transcends throughout the system. By culture for excellence, setting high standards of performance with tangible goals and realistic plans to achieve them. This would require a change from an input-oriented practice to outcome-based approaches.

The outcome-based approach provides transparency, as such, the progress of projects and programmes are more easily monitored towards the prescribed goals. The public also has the opportunity to see its value for money. The implementation of this approach is anticipated to improve performance and public accountability. Demanding a high standard of performance by itself however, is inadequate if there is no follow-through and follow-up action. We are often praised for having the best plans, unfortunately often lacking in the drive and commitment in its implementation and completion. The public service should no longer be satisfied with merely mediocre performance and therefore, leadership in the public service must demand a high standard of performance. We must always challenge and stretch ourselves and never be afraid of coming out with new ideas and approaches. Attaining seamless service delivery is still one of the major problems confronting the public service today. World class public service delivery can only be achieved through a high level of inter-agency collaboration.

SET UP URBAN GOVERNANCE INSTITUTE

PETALING JAYA: A government-funded Institute of Urban Governance has to be set up to better serve cities and towns. Social activist Tan Sri Lee Lam Thye, who made the call, said the development and management of urban centres was among the major challenges faced by the Government due to rapid urbanisation. He said the concentration of development and human activities in cities and towns had exposed the population there to an environment that was “physically, psychologically and socially taxing”, leading to a host of complex urban problems.“It is time for the Government to set up an institute for urban governance, which can function as a national resources and training centre for urban governance and development,” Lee said in a statement.

Lee said such an institute could help facilitate research by providing support to academicians and individuals to undertake research, and also provide consultancy on urban issues.He suggested that academic experts, research organisations and government agencies conduct academic programmes in urban planning for local government officials and others to better manage towns and cities. “Urbanisation should lead to community spirit-building. Where urban centres are built, pro-active efforts must be taken to build a sense of community and belonging among the multi-ethnic residents,” he added.

edited from The Star 17 February 2007

KUALA LUMPUR, Feb 8 (Bernama) -- The government should set up an Institute of Township Management to serve as a centre of excellence for local government administration, suggests social activist Tan Sri Lee Lam Thye.Lee said such an institute could also carry out research work and offer advice on issues involving township management, besides organising courses and training for local government officers."While Malaysia is undergoing rapid township or municipality development, the provision of various services to residents should be part of the national agenda," he said in a statement issued here Sunday.

As such, he said, many technical staff in areas such as planning, architecture, engineering and other professional fields would have to be recruited to increase the capacity of the local governments in administering their respective areas."The local governments must also be sensitive to public grouses and opinions in order to function effectively."In this respect, the public must be encouraged to voice out their views and to participate by being part of the consultative committees set up."Lee said 60 per cent of Malaysia's population now lived in the towns and cities, indicating rapid urban development due to rural-urgan migration.

edited from Bernama 8 February 2009

GLOBAL KNOWLEDGE ENHANCE QUALITY OF LIFE

All of you are well aware of the impact that the information revolution is already making on our social and economic institutions, on public and private sector bureaucracies, and on the man in the streets.....changing the way we do everything. While it holds the promise of a better life for everyone, it also threatens to create a huge disparity between the information-haves and the information-have-nots, the knowledge-rich and the knowledge-poor. This growing digital divide was the single driving concern of the first Global Knowledge Conference where more than 2000 people representing governments, international agencies, non-profit organisations, private sector corporations and NGOs, met in Toronto, Canada in 1997. It became obvious that the countries which were either unaware of, or did not have the means to harness the new tools of the information age, would be powerless to improve the quality of life of their peoples.

The first Global Knowledge (GK) Conference recognised that knowledge and information are critical for sustainable, and equitable development. Out of the conference there evolved an informal but powerful partnership of organisations now known as the Global Knowledge Partnership. It currently has 55 members. They are all committed to sharing information, experiences and resources to help people acquire the knowledge and technology they need in order to shape their lives. GKll is part of this ongoing process of sharing and learning. Dialogues and discussion at national and regional levels on issues of access, empowerment and governance - the three themes of the GKII - have already begun and will continue after March 2000. Access to ideas and information from around the world are already empowering people to improve their lives.

There are some dramatic examples of how the power of information can not just improve lives but also help save them. We know of how the Pan American Health Organisation conducted a hemisphere-wide teleconference to present new methods of diagnosing and preventing the spread of AIDS. Yet in countries in Latin America, Africa and Asia where the spread of AIDS is threatening a whole generation of young people, these support networks are not yet in place. With GKll and the Global Knowledge Partnership, we have a tremendous opportunity to draft an agenda for action that will give developing countries a fair and equitable share in the new knowledge economy. The whole event is being specially designed to ensure that the four days of discussion, debate, sharing of information, experiences, best practices and even failures, will result in a strategic plan of action to help us build knowledge societies.

Represented here today are members of the diplomatic corps, the corporate sector, NGOs, government agencies, the media and the community. Each of you has a very important role to play in the success of GKII. Malaysia active involvement at national, regional and global levels is critical to the success of this conference. Let us jointly contribute our resources to leverage this strategic opportunity to shape our future. Malaysia has set her own agenda for transformation into a knowledge-based economy by the year 2020. GKII will help us identify and address issues critical to the realisation of this vision. We can share our own experiences and highlight some of our achievements with regard to the implementation of the National IT Agenda and the Multimedia Super Corridor initiative. Perhaps our greatest challenge is to open people's minds to the tremendous possibilities offered by shared information and knowledge.

Ideally, every Malaysian should know about GKII, the Global Knowledge Partnership and the power of the new communications tools. We are hoping for your support, particularly the media, in publicising the issues and challenges for knowledge development, and the objectives and activities of GKII and the Global Knowledge Partnership

EFFICIENT GOVERNANCE: GEARING TOWARDS BEING WORLD CLASS

The effectiveness and efficiency of the public service as well as its facilitating role has helped the country's economic development. This we have accomplished through the introduction of numerous administrative measures which are designed to provide high quality services to the private sector and the society at large. To be world class, and at par with the best, we have to continue the quality revolution in the public service. In fact I would suggest we think of two Qs: Quality and Quickness. One of the important attributes of quality is to be responsive to customer needs and this means Quickness of Response. Members of the public want speedy approvals of their house plans, certificates of fitness for occupation of their newly-built houses, quick service at the immigration counters, at hospital dispensaries etc. The business community want quick approvals for company incorporation, trade licences, manufacturing licences, duty drawbacks, patent rights, approval of industrial premises, crucial market information on their products and services, etc.

If speed is the essence in doing business, then systems and procedures, particularly those that ensure accuracy, reliability, consistency and simplicity will have to be put in place. The public service will be implementing ISO 9000 very soon. Malaysia will be the first country that will adopt ISO 9000 in its entire public service. Gearing ourselves to world class means that we will gear ourselves to implementing ISO 9000. Training of public servants should emphasise the sharpening of core competencies covering the three broad areas of conceptual, technical and interpersonal skills. However, the emphasis will vary depending on whether the officer is in the upper, middle or lower levels of management. The conceptual skills are skills related to `higher order activity' more relevant to the upper level management where the need is to see issues, recognise problems, strategise, and think systems.

The middle level management needs a balance of both the conceptual and the technical skills as they act as the interface between the top level management and the lower level of management. However, across all levels of management is the requirement for interpersonal skills. No one works alone in any organization; people will have to network and build relationships at all levels of management vertically as well as horizontally. As such, training programs in public sector training institutions particularly INTAN will have to take into consideration these aspects of skills development focussing on core competency areas. World class also means the ability to command resources and operate beyond borders. In this regard, our public service should have the ability to support our private sector to effectively operate beyond our shores. There are many ways in which this can be done.

Firstly, in business, the question of integrity and image are very critical elements. In this connection, besides facilitating the business sector through enhancing the administrative processes, the public service must see itself as the custodian of Malaysia's good image overseas, and assist in the conduct of business with good ethics, to see that our businessmen conduct dealings with reputable partners overseas; secondly, the public service has to focus on establishing connections and networking; examine investment opportunities and facilitate the entry of Malaysian products and services to new markets. The country should never be allowed to suffer from a deep crisis of faith in the public service; the people must not criticise us as a faceless bureaucracy that is unable to accurately meet personalized services; the people must not be allowed to spend their precious time finding answers to their questions, after being bounced from department to department. The new information technology appears to be the key enabler of public service transformation.

GLOBALISATION: CHALLENGES AND IMPACT ON ASIA AND MALAYSIA

Globalisation is a word which seems to describe the coming together of all the countries of the globe into one entity. It is coined by rich countries apparently in response to technological advances and the speed and ease of travel. But the emphasis is on free flows of capital and trade in goods and services. People and other things may not flow so freely.Free means free of Governmental regulations, laws and policies. International institutions would take over, enact rules and enforce them. Looked at from the point of view of weak countries, rules, laws and policies still exist but they would have no say in the determination or enforcement. For most of them globalisation means not more freedom but less freedom from rules, regulations laws and policies. Worse still, these uniform rules etc, disregard their particular weaknesses and problems.

But they are being told that being poor they will benefit from capital flowing into their countries. In fact for many of the East Asian countries capital inflows have brought about unprecedented economic growth. Even their stock markets have benefited from foreign investments. But what they are not told is that the same capital can flow out and when it does their countries can be bankrupted. It is unfortunate that they learnt about this through experience and they now know how terrible the damage is and how difficult it is to recover. The East Asian financial crisis was precipitated by the free exit of capital. It started of course by the manipulative devaluation of the currencies of East Asian countries. Devaluation caused foreign investment to lose value. To avoid losses from further devaluation foreign capital was pulled out. The market collapsed resulting in rapid increase of non-performing loans, deprivation from bank funding of business operations, numerous bankruptcies and failure of the banking system in the end.

With the economy in tatters the Government had to borrow from the IMF. Loans would only be given if the Government surrenders economic management to the IMF and allow foreign white knights to pick up the devalued local banks and businesses. We are seeing many countries floundering about because the money they borrowed from the IMF had to be used to pay off foreign creditors. Nothing is left for the locals. Of course they still have to pay the IMF money they had borrowed. East Asian countries are actually luckier for some have made a fair degree of recovery. But Argentina is not so lucky. Sovereign loans are not so safe after all as countries can go bankrupt when IMF imposes its policies. Is what happened to the East Asian countries a manifestation of Globalisation or not? Clearly it is. Trading in currencies is only possible if Government abdicates as the authority to determine the value of currency and leaves it to so-called international market forces.

The market is interested only in making profits and cares nothing for the well-being of society. The challenge for Asia is not how to manage the present concept of globalisation, to make it work, to benefit from it. The challenge for Asia is to influence the thinking on globalisation, to reshape it, to reduce the chances of it going awry and destroying economies and countries. There is nothing sacred about the present concept of globalisation that it cannot be changed, radically if necessary, so that it will pose less danger to those accepting and practising it. Free trade is not synonymous with globalisation. If we have to regulate trade in order to benefit from globalisation, why not? People who play golf know that there will never come a time when handicaps will be abolished. In business too, fair competition can only be between entities of fairly equal strength. Level playing fields are not enough. The contestants must be evenly matched. If we cannot match them then give them handicaps.

Prior to 1997 the Asian countries were growing miraculously. Malaysia grew at 8% plus per annum for ten consecutive years. Today everyone of the miracle economies are but shadows of their former selves. The impact of globalisation involving the free flow of capital and the straightjacketing of business has been disastrous. For years now the attempts to resuscitate the economies have not been very successful. There will be permanent scars. And the impact will not be any better, for as long as the present interpretation of globalisation is forced upon Asia. In fact the world is likely to fail to recover if, instead of focusing on resuscitating the economy following Sept 11, we continue to force the globalisation of capital flows on the world.

GOVERNANCE FOR A NEW ERA

In the world today there is no trust or little trust and governance, world governance that is, is not good. We have in fact made a mess of the world. Two millennium of experience and mountains of knowledge have not made us much more capable at managing our affairs than stone age people.We now live in fear, every one of us. We fear the terrorists and the terrorists, their supporters or alledged supporters fear us. We fear flying, we fear travelling to certain countries, we fear night-clubs, we fear letters, parcels and cargo containers, we fear white powder, shoes, Muslims, pen knives, metal cutlery, etc etc. They, the other side, fear sanctions, starvation, shortage of medicine. They fear military invasion, being bombed and rocketed, being captured and detained. People who are neutral, not involved, innocent - they too live in fear. They are the collaterals. Just as the Afghans and the Iraqi civilians are collaterals the passengers on the hijacked planes and those people working in the World Trade Towers are also collaterals.

Actually we are in the midst of the Third World War, not the war against terrorists but the war between terrorists and the peace loving anti-terrorists alliance, the war between the Axis of Evil and Satan. Both sides are convinced that they are right, that theirs is the fight against evil. Evil and Satan must be destroyed. Frightened, the world is taking measures to secure and defend at tremendous cost. But the main result is not security or freedom from terror attacks. The main result is to disrupt life, undermine investments and business, and generally to adversely affect economic growth world wide. It is going to be a long war because hatred, anger, bitterness rules our hearts. We both want revenge. We both will retaliate. You kill our people, we will kill your people. And so it will go on and on. Sanity has deserted both sides. The world has become small. It is said to be a village.

But we have not made much progress in the management of our world despite its diminished size. Just as in the stone age the man with the biggest club rules, in our modern and sophisticated global village the country with the biggest killing power rules. When the Cold War ended we thought that the world would see peace and prosperity. After all the people who believe in peace and universal justice won. The evil Empire has been overthrown. But the loss of a counter balance has resulted in the great exponent of justice and fair play to become unbalanced. While the Communists were there the Capitalists curbed their greed and avarice. They showed a friendly face. The exploitation of the world by the greedy, the double standards and the hypocrisy about human rights and respect for human lives, the oppressions of the weak by the strong, the disregard for human sufferings; the expropriation of other peoples' land and the expulsion of the people, all these have been aggravated by the ending of the Cold War and the victory of the righteous over the evil.

The worm finally turned. The weak have now hit back in the only way they can. Groping for the enemy, the strong hits out blindly in every direction, in every part of the world. No one is free. Fear rules the world. With the onset of this third World War, the world is in a state of turmoil. We now live in fear, even the rich are not as prosperous any more, while the poor are actually poorer. We have not made such a good job managing this Global Village of ours. There is no trust and no good governance. So how do we create trust and good governance in the new era? I don't think it can be done by seeking for a military defeat of the enemy and forcing them to submit. The forces against the Axis of Evil are not going to win because the target is wrong. All that can happen if they are defeated is to create more anger and a call for more revenge and retaliation by the people who are incensed by the injustice they believe they are experiencing.

On the other hand the other side are not going to win either. The enemy is just too big and too powerful. The only solution is through compromise. Trust must be built. The initiation must come from the good people. They must recognise that people do not tie bombs to their bodies or crash their planes for the fun of it. They must have a reason for it. We have to remove the reasons. Out terrorising the terrorists will not work. But removing the causes for terrorism will. Good governance is simple if we curb the greedy and forget about self-regulating markets. Governments are not yet anachronistic. They have a role to play. We need a paradigm shift, we need a new mind-set if we are going to put an end to this Third World War. We need victory for both, a victory where both sides will benefit. The world is big enough and rich enough for everyone. There is no need to take everything for ourselves. A win-win solution is possible. If we can overcome our anger and hatred, our craving for revenge, our unlimited greed, we can manage the world and achieve trust and eventually good governance.

URBAN MANAGEMENT VS URBAN GOVERNANCE IN GLOBALISATION ERA

We are living in a rapidly urbanizing world. Today half of the world population lives in urban area, yet as recently as 1975 the urban share was just over one third. Within these global averages, however, there are major differences. The urban share of the population in year 2000 in the developing countries for example was 76%, as compared to 40% in the less developed countries. In Africa and Asia the shares were 38% and 37%, whereas in Latin America, Northern America, Europe and Oceania the proportions were between 70%-77%. For the world as a whole, the urban share is expected to rise to 60% by the year 2030 at which time the shares for Africa and Asia are projected to reach 55% and 53% respectively.

Of the additional world population expected between 2000 and 2015, nearly one billion will be added in urban areas compared to only about 125 million in the rural areas. Virtually all of this growth will take place in developing countries. Urbanisation if well managed, is associated with economic growth and development, providing vital opportunities for economic and social advancement; whereas if not managed properly, may result in social disintegration, more poverty among some sectors and environmental degradation.

In the context of Peninsular Malaysia, according to the National Physical Plan, the level of urbanisation has increased from 54.3% to 65A% in the inter-censual period of 1991-2000, and it is expected to increase to 75% by the year 2020. Urbanisation in Peninsular Malaysia is also marked by the increasing primacy of the three main city regions of Kuala Lumpur, George Town, and Johor Bahru. Urbanlsation can be viewed as a positive or a negative force. The difference lies in whether the urbanisation process is planned, controlled and managed in a proper manner, or otherwise.

One of the main challenges of urbanization is to make sure that our urban area is competitive enough in achieving sustainable urban development. The potential between economic growth and environmental sustainability must be realised to its fullest. Ways must be developed to achieve pro-poor economic development and also to reduce the environmental impact of economic growth and urban production, both on the towns and cities themselves, and on the global environment - as urban economic development is often influenced by changes in national and global economic- Even when economic growth occurs, it does not necessarily benefit the poor. Therefore ways must be found to develop urban economic that are diverse, resilient and also provide job opportunities that are accessible to the poor and the disadvantaged.

The urban economy is of supreme importance to the economic development of developing countries in particular. We need to encourage the town and cities to be competitive to attract investors to invest in our urban area. While at the same time, protect the very resources including the environment, that is crucial in developing the urban economy and attracting the investors in the first place. Besides that, urbanisation is also associated with social and political changes, which can undermine traditional social network and result in increased inequity and exclusion. Therefore, ways must also be found to increase equity and ensuring political and social inclusion. Often this means that ways must be found to extend infrastructure provision to keep pace with urban growth, in a way that is financially and environmentally sustainable, while ensuring access of an adequate level of services to the poor and the disadvantaged.

Currently, the capability of governance of the agencies responsible is recognised as being very crucial in achieving sustainable urbanization. Therefore ways must be found to enhance urban governance to deal with the challenges of managing the growing towns and cities. At the same time, economic, environmental and governance tensions make it difficult to realise the benefits of interdependence between rural and urban areas. In this context, ways must be found to develop and implement economic policies, resource allocation, environmental management strategies, and governance arrangements that recognise and enhance the complementary rates of urban and rural areas in sustainable development. Indeed both urban and rural areas are interdependent. Sustainable land resource planning and management is the core of physical environmental management and biodiversity conservation. Concepts of sustainable development that integrate development and natural resource management objectives should be an integral part of a country's planning process and this should be reflected in all land use policies and plans. Such a spatial planning document for Peninsular Malaysia was launched recently.

The National Physical Plan (NPP) contains 36 policies related to land use and development. The successful implementation of the NPP depends on the collaborative efforts among all relevant stakeholders including private, Government agencies, NGO and communities. This Dialogue aims at imparting a better understanding of the policy's objectives and purpose and will among others, address issues related to urbanization. It also hopes to create further awareness and opportunity for participation from civil society in its implementation. This engagement will undoubtedly contribute to better environmental cooperation and collaboration among the NGOs and Government.

The responsibility to ensure a .sustainable development does not fall on the Government entirely. It is important that we all work together, making use of opportunities provided for public participation in the process. We need the involvement of all, in particular the NGOs. The Ministry would like to view MENGO as a partner in managing our environment. We regard NGOs to be a valuable asset since they have the advantage to be in -the midst of things and the ability to be close to the people. Therefore, they have better opportunity to disseminate information and instill the feeling of responsibility to the masses. At the same time the Government would like the NGOs to be our eyes and ears so that we are informed of what is happening on the ground.

In this regards, the Government welcomes positive and constructive criticism so that we can continuously improve our programme and activities in enhancing the quality of the environment. It is therefore fitting that this Dialogue should focus an getting to know the problems or challenges faced by the relevant Government agencies, in developing urban areas and the proposed plans and programme to overcome them. So that together, the Government and the NGOs can collaborate in addressing the gaps.

E-GOVERNMENT THE WAY FORWARD TO EFFICIENT URBAN GOVERNANCE

Governments can query, inform, and transact with the public over electronic networks. Since the public began to use the Internet for leisure and business, governments have been progressively migrating their service delivery onto electronic platforms. In the early days of the Internet this was justified as a great source of cost-savings. Many programs that involved information outreach were experiencing cost escalation as publishing, printing, and distribution costs continued to rise. Instead of cutting such efforts entirely during the period of down-sizing, the "webification solution" allowed documents to be posted on the World Wide Web with savings of as much as 75% of previous costs.

The shortcoming of this solution was the "digital divide" – only those with Internet connections could access the digitized documents. If most of the distribution went to government departments, other governments, businesses, or professionals, they already had or could readily acquire an Internet connection. Others less fortunate (lack of funds or lack of available interconnection points) began to claim they were being discriminated against. Hence began government sponsorship of attempts to expand access and/or provide it for free (via freenets or community portals), such as the widely successful Community Access Program in Canada, and similar programs in other countries. These programs are clear attempts to provide opportunities to engage all of the citizenry in the nation into the benefits of cyberspace through efforts to bridge the digital divide.

Many of the initial webification solutions were quite primitive, with poor information layout, inadequate navigation provisions, no support for the impaired, slow electronic responses, occasional disruptions in service, periodically outdated content, and little or no "back office" support. Criticism from a wide spectrum of users prompted improvements such as "common look and feel" standards, better information architecture, feedback provisions, and manual or dynamic content updating.

When people began to pay taxes and user fees online, fill in questionnaires, apply for jobs in the public service, send e-mails to elected officials or public servants, and download documents, they became somewhat more satisfied, and governments in turn could begin to call their Internet efforts a success. But as services improved, public expectations for online government capabilities increased. Now citizen users want (and get) search engines on government websites, responses to their e-mail queries within a set time limit, instant access to electronic public documents as soon as they are released, and opportunities to purchase chargeable information with a credit card or account. What else does the public want over the Internet that their governments could provide?

• Access by a person to all the personal data on that person that is held in government data banks. So far this is limited by security, privacy, and confidentiality concerns.

• Access to all government documentation of all kinds by anyone. At present the storage and retrieval costs are prohibitive, and there are also security, privacy, and confidentiality concerns here as well.

• Information architecture that permits one-stop-shopping for all information from all governments in a simple thematic directory. There are also cost constraints, and no known technology to integrate, index and search all of this information.

GOVERNMENT OR GOVERNANCE... TO THE WAY WE WERE?

Government is described as the repository of confidence and power of the people delegated by them for a fixed period of time for the express purpose of identifying, mobilizing, organizing, guiding and directing all available resources, human and other, to facilitate planned and participatory transformation of their society towards enhanced well-being of its people, via just enjoyment of all its needs, rights, aspirations and sustainable peace. Governments are necessarily political regimes pursuing a course of development action that they consider as most suited within the construct and form of their society and its constitution. Government comprises the constitution & laws, institutions & structures, management mechanisms & administrative processes. These are devolutionary instruments that make a government participatory and responsive.

Governance, on the other hand, is the sum of cumulative practice of behaviour and attitude of the government as seen in the manner they create and use the said devolutionary instruments. Form, style, systems, methods, and procedures of government generally reflect the pattern of governance in a nation or city. The quality and effectiveness of governance depend mostly on how judiciously the government uses the said instruments to help people achieve the ultimate goal of their progress - justice, equity and peace.

The term 'Governance' is derived from the Greek word 'kybernan' and 'kybernetes'. It means 'to steer and to pilot or be at the helm of things'. While the term 'government' indicates a political unit for the function of policy making as distinguished from the administration of policies, the word 'governance' denotes an overall responsibility for both - the political and administrative functions. It also implies ensuring moral behaviour and ethical conduct in the task of governing, i.e., the continuous exercise of authority on both the political and administrative units of governments. Some noteworthy definitions of 'governance' come from the World Bank, UNDP, OECD and The Commission of Global Governance. They are:

'The World Bank has identified three distinct aspects of governance: (i) the form of political regime; (ii) the process by which the authority is exercised in the management of a country's economic and social resources for development; and (iii) the capacity of governments to design, formulate and implement policies and discharge functions.' (World Bank, 1994). 'Governance is viewed as the exercise of economic, political and administrative authority to manage a country's affairs at all levels. It comprises mechanisms, processes, an institutions through which citizens and groups of articulate their interests, exercise their legal rights, meet their obligations, and mediate their differences.' (UNDP, 1997)

'The concept of governance denotes the use of political authority and exercise of control in a society in relation to the management of its resources for social and economic development. This broad definition encompasses the role of public authorities in establishing the environment in which economic operators function and in determining the distribution of benefits as the nature of relationship between the ruler and the ruled'. (OECD, 1995)

'Governance is the sum of the many ways individuals and institutions, public and private, manage their common affairs. It is a continuing process through which conflicting or diverse interests may be accommodated and co-operative action may be taken. It includes formal institutions and regimes empowered to enforce compliance, as well as informal arrangements that people and institutions either have agreed to or perceive to be in their interest'. (Commission on Global Governance, 1995). Good governance is both a goal and a process. It only can help us find solutions to poverty, inequality and insecurity. It creates an environment in which civil organizations, business community, private citizens and other institutions can assume ownership of the city development process and the management of their communities.

GOVERNANCE A NEW DIMENSION OF GOVERNMENT

As Kettl has observed, "Governance" is a way of describing the links between government and its broader environment – political, social, and administrative. Each of these dimensions forms a side of the "governance triangle". All of the other characteristics of governance are just aspects of its functionality, which we will preview in this section, and then elaborate in more detail in further sections. The concept of functionality, as R.A.W. Rhodes has stated it in “Understanding Governance”, refers to the effects that are produced as a result of the procedures used. The function of social governance is to direct the achievement of collective objectives.

Governance is distinct from government in that it concerns longer-term processes rather than immediate decisions. Governance is a set of continuous processes that usually evolve slowly with use rather than change dramatically (as with a change of government). There are three categories of processes to cover the interactions between the government, the public service, and the citizenry. The engagement process covers the interaction between citizens and government; the consultation process covers the interaction between public servants and citizens; and the implementation process covers the interaction between the government and the public service.

The result of the governance focus on processes instead of decisions is that the primary concern is goals rather than rules. In the perspective of governance what is important is the objective rather than the rules of behaviour for achieving it. Various levels or locales of jurisdiction may pursue the same goals with distinct instruments, different priorities, and alternate agendas. This is often both unsurprising and inevitable – even those "singing from the same hymn-book" may do so in a different key, to a different accompanying instrument. The goals of governance cannot really be achieved by micro-management, because there are no means of detailed enforcement.

In contra-distinction to the formal roles within government, governance processes are oriented to performance. Specific tasks are not necessarily assigned to specific roles because the point is for everyone to "pitch in" and work toward the common goal. The main concern is the purpose of the various governance processes, and numerous people in various roles can provide an assortment of contributions depending on their circumstances.

Governance takes the larger view of social objectives, so it involves the coordination of efforts rather than the implementation of specific programs. How it all fits together is more important than exactly who does what to whom by which means. This is the systemic perspective as opposed to a focus on the individual practice, or player, or process.

The "bottom line" for governance is outcomes rather than the outputs of government. One dramatic way of illustrating this point is to word it as follows: whereas the point of government outputs is the effort expended, the point of governance outcomes is the effects produced. One of the reasons people are often impatient with governments is because, despite the reports of great efforts expended, the results produced (the outcomes) are often unacceptable from the point of view of the citizenry. People who want to "re-invent government" are hoping that those in government will adopt a new focus on outcomes to replace outputs.