How to establish true democracy in Asia?
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ThAKSIN has just announced his intention to return to his country to "clear his name" over allegation or charges of corruptions.
Why must Thaksin wait for the change of regime before returning to his country to answer to charges of corruption.
It is very simple, there is no true democracy in Thailand or for that matter in many parts of Asia. If there is whoever is elected citizens will have no fear of facing allegations of corruptions or other wrongs in any court or under any government. The rights of citizens will be protected by the court irrespective of the government in power. Citizens everywhere need this kind of government and democracy in order to have lasting peace and progress.
No one in the government will be above the law to do as they like or have any hidden power to influence any persecutions against any political opponents to serve their own interests and stay in power.
Thaksin has been too naive to expect that by doing what he thinks is right to do he will be cleared of people out to fix him. If he is corrupted he must be able to seek the protection of the law. He cannot under the present form of democracy because the kind of democracy in Thailand is unable to safeguard such a protection. Of course whether he is corrupt or not remain a crucial issue and he will have to answer to charges but will the new government who are part of his party is able to pursue this matter remain to be seen.
A true democracy which will bring about justice and fairness for all his country men will have to work towards establishing true democracy along the same line as that of western equivalent to have justice and equity for all.
Sadly this is kind of democracy claimed by leaders everywhere in Asia but they are not truly democratic. How to make such true democracy attainable and work for the benefit of people in Asia.
My answer it a big resounding "NO". It is not possible for democracy to be practised for the progress of people and for justice and peace.
People in Asia are too self-important or self-centred to practise democracy. One elected they will try to stay in power by whatever means at their disposal. Democracy framework will be manipulated to suit their persecution of opponents to stay in power or work without acccountability.
They only know they ought to have elections and get themselves elected at all costs including using power to dispose of their critics or opponents.
Democracy is not merely about election or forming of government.
Democracy is a political system where people are able to elect their own government and make the government carry out their duties within the defined laws with protections of rights and freedoms of citizens for the social and economic progress of their countrymen.
Until such true democracy is finally established in Singapore too, the party in power will be able to do what they like without laws or orders.
So Jeyaratnam and Francis Seow and Tan Wah Peow will have to wait for change of regime too like happening in Thailand or Pakistan. For the time citizens will have to bear with all sorts of hypocrisy like rule of law, justice or fairness or service of the people.
This is the state of democracy in Asia. It is in the interests of all Asians in fact citizens all over the world not only to ensure there are fair election, they must have numerous safeguards to bring about true democracy so that the basic rights and duties of government and citizens are first well and clearly established and there is certain guarantee forsuch primary duties to be carried out by the people for the people over a sufficient period of time. Only when this primary framework is practised over a period of time will it be possible to have democracy firmly rooted as part of their own culture. Only then will it be possible for people to prevent manipulations of democracy and enjoy lasting peace prosperity and progress.
Beside Thailand, people all over Asia including Singapore Pakistan, Taiwan, Myanmar, democracy has been manipulated to suit the parties in power to do as the parties in power like to serve their own purposes.
People must recognise the truths - we have no democracy until all the basic frameworks including protections of citizens' freedoms, right, justice and equity are firmly established and practised over a sufficient period of time by the citizens.
All oppositions who have the ability or potential to form governments will have to recognise that there is no true democracy now. They first will have to work harder to establish true democracy with education and support of all.
There ought to be some international agencies which could safeguard against such misuse or abuses. There ought to be guaranteed respect of true democracy as the means to lead their countrymen to progress to prevent more abuses.
If our leaders have the basic interests of the little red dot they should do likewise - work harder to educate the basics of democracy and establish basic framework of rights and duties of citizens and government without which there will not be any possibility of lasting peace and progress.
Any talks about democracy, rule of law at the present moment will be hot air or hypocrisy. -
PROPOSED OVERHAUL OF CURRENT CONSTITUTION,
The current constitution (Singapore) is too general and vague. There is no true democracy with proper framework for protection of citizens' rights and integrity of one-man-one-vote election process.
In the present form it can be easily manipulated like introduction of GRC to enable any ruling party to stay in power or to suit its own narrow party interest.
All that the ruling party is interested in is to exercise all sorts of administrative control of the judiciary and military and legislature and it will be able to do as it like even paying themselves millions of salaries or life pensions without any basis or consent of the people.
The government can easily get their own legal officers or judges to interpret the laws and the constitutions to circumvent loopholes or grey areas to do all its biddings.
The answer is obvious: people in Asia do not understand perhaps because of their own culture enough of how democracy really work in the west which have enjoyed true progress and peace to facilitate development of its people.
There is no tolerance by democracies in Asia of criticisms of government with most of the government resorting to fixing of political oppositions or alternative shadow government.
Even if there is some forms of tolerances they will be exceptions or hypocrisy in dealing with people's feedbacks of problems.
The constitution is the basic document that spell out the basic rights of citizens, defining the duties and roles of government and their responsibilities to safeguard social, cultural and economic vibrancy particularly in the following areas:-
(1) One Man One Vote election process to ensure that all who are eligible are able to enter his name for nomination to be a candidate for election.
(2) To ensure multi-racial representation, a certain number of seats of parliaments can be reserved for contest among minority candidates.
(3) The rights and duties of citizens are spelled out as inviolable with suitable protection irrespective of race, culture, religion or tenets including freedoms of speech, political beliefs, right to stand for election or right to make criticisms of policies or practices of government in power without fear of being sued for remarks or criticisms of government in the course of election.
(4) The roles and duties and responsibilities of components of governments i.e. executives, legislature, judiciary and civil service are spelled out clearly to avoid conflict or usurpation of power by anyone to lay down a foundation for establishment of rule of law.
(5) Establish Rule of law, justice, fairness and equity in conduct of laws without fear or favor to the government in power.
(6) To Establish a low-cost independent panel open to observers from UN agencies to oversee election process and political participation by citizens.
(7) To Establish powers in appropriate agencies under the supervision of an independent panel for indictment or Investigation and adjudication of conflicts of interests among members of the government.
It is recommended that the existing constitution be amended so as to ensure that we will eventually evolve into a true democracy where citizens are not being defensive in playing their part in the governing of the country and they are being encouraged to take an active part to safeguard the quality of government with proper scrutiny and feedbacks of whatever policies or actions taken by the government to ensure that they would exercise their sacred votes during election without fear or favor or compromise.
Such a constitution will be proactive and open up greater possibilities to have a country well run by the government which will truly serve as the government by the people and for the people in the widest perspective of nation building.
Through such a proactive constitution people can then develop into a cohesive social and cultural and economic entity able to contribute to creativity, entrepreneurship or participations in election, giving feedbacks without fear or favor.
Singapore's democracy is still young and it has not fully developed and matured.
As a saying goes: you ain't seen all yet.
http://www.managefranchise.blogspot.com
(amended on 4.9.2005)
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I would like to see another coup take place if Thaksin makes a comeback. The PPP should serve the people first. Instead it's priority is to save Thaksin and his cronies.
The ignorant rural supporters have voted for another party which has great potential to corrupt. -
true democracy does not exist at all
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you can do that by leaving your delusional world which believes that democracy is the solution to everything...
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Abolish the pathetic GRC system.
Through this system, weak politicians are elected into parliament.
I also did not get to vote due to walkovers.
I want to vote against the PAP. -
In the same way, you can carry on deluding yourself that democracy is not the solution to everything. Why bother to have election at all if democracy is so delusional?Originally posted by the Bear:you can do that by leaving your delusional world which believes that democracy is the solution to everything... -
Democracy is an Excuse that the power is bestowed by the People.
The person or party that holds this power is the power that turns the people into their profitable businesses. And the survival of the party is how the people are convinced to return that power to them or to those that still stands after their rule.
If there is no economy that feeds the population? What other excuses can help the people not vote the rich and powerful again? -
Allow my opine.
Europeans and USA people voice up and express themselves.
Asians are not like that.
This is just one of the reasons. -
Thaksin had used the bait of generous handouts to attract the rural populationÂ’s support.
While using taxes to help elevate poverty is noble, he had hidden agendas. Some of the tax money to help the poor was recycled into Shincorp by the increased hp usage in the rural areas(about 80% of Thais live in the rural areas).
The King prefer to help the poor to become self sufficient because of the huge number involved. He did not like ThaksinÂ’s populist policy. -
From random survey of forummers' posts here we can see that many of us Asians tend to behave in the following manner:-Originally posted by reddressman:Allow my opine.
Europeans and USA people voice up and express themselves.
Asians are not like that.
This is just one of the reasons.
(1) Afraid of government or authority.
(2) Fearful of disorder and prefer to have no freedom and be controlled.
(3) Lack of understanding of role of government or what to expect of them.
(4) No idea or expectations of government.
(5) Argue for the sake of argument.
(6) Propensity to curry favor and hero-worship leaders.
(7) Selfish of own personal interests and gains and not too interested to do something or put up suggestions to make leaders more accountable.