Many feedbacks and feedforwards have been given, but what is FEEDBACK UNIT (especially with the coming on board recently of new bloods) doing especially in helping to solve the long-standing problem of high costs or the narrow-minded pro-foreign policies of the past.
Is the Feedback Unit acting real - it will help to solve problems and getting the various departments concerned to coordinate better as desired by Dr. Tony Tan working as a single entity instead of replying with negatives as we are still seeing nowadays in regard to job creation or transport fare hike etc.
Feedback Unit is not coming of age despite putting many scholars on board to show off. It is still lacking the bite - its ability to make government change and be more efficient in delivering results.
My suggestion is to revamp the Feedback Unit itself- give a new meaning to feedback process. Don't make it a closed or one-way system which is too meaningless, over-legalistic. There is no need to worry too much such as people becoming more demanding if it is a two-way process. No, far from it, the civil service will probably through engaging in a two-way communication or dialog get to change and be more efficient and result-oriented. Now the whole government has a poor image among its own citizens as only serving its own narrow purpose and not responsive to getting good opinions or views or more more accountable or transparent.
A 2-way feedback with monitoring showing how views or suggestions are digested, received or how the problems the target of feedbacks are being eventually tackled will go a long way to improve the governing of the country, don't you distinguished new mambers of the panel see this. Do you dare to follow up and study my suggestion to change the status quo?
A 2-way Dialog Unit should be created (not feedback unit) with the following fresh objectives (to re-charge low battery):-
(1) Getting more citizens involved actively in civic participation of all the society's social, economic or political policies or implementation processes without which sad to say no country can ever hope to grow or become a vibrant place.
(2) Upgrade the past top-down closed system of government to one that is open and accountable where all citizens are allowed to scrutinise ministers and all civil servants' performance so that they will continue to serve the whole nation with responsibly to achieve goals and results.
I guess for some less-than-enlightened, self-centred or egoitic reason, a good suggestion to be more engaged citizens in a 2-way dialog or feedback process has been vetoed by forces unknown.
Who actually vetoed such a good idea? Why work behind close doors and be so self-protective. Come out of the closed system and tell us why certain idea is no good and be prepared for a two-way dialog or debate till we see the light of day why certain thing can or cannot be done.
For now no matter how feedback unit glorifies itself it is essentially a propanganda machinery to allow governing elites to say that they are progressive and keeping up with mass participation and democracy. What is new even if Feedback Unit brings on board more eminent names to show off.
