Changes to the election of Tua Kampongs
January 21, 2013 – 9:47 amIt is my honest feeling that in Brunei we may consider some change to the way we elect Tua Kampongs and Penghulus
Political party based democracy will be a huge mistake for Brunei considering the mismanagement and corruption in very many democracies in the developing countries in Asia and Africa. Instead I venture to suggest a party-less, individual moral based rule on the following lines.
The elections for Tua Kampongs which are now held at different times must be held at the same time. The Election commission of Brunei( Ministry of Home Affairs) must mange and organise this.
Every 1500 people of Brunei should elect a representative( something similar to Tua Kampongs) and those who stand as representatives must be vetted by an Islamic Religion based Council of Experts for their Taqwa, honesty, public service, character and qualifications.
Once they are approved to stand, full details of their bio-data, financial particulars, statements of assets must be given on a specific web site. This will help to ensure whether they are accumulating disproportionate amount of wealth over a period of time.
These representatives may be called basic democrats. May be we will have about 300-400 basic democrats. And these 300-400 will constitute the electoral college to elect, say about 30 parliament members.
And His Majesty may nominate another 30 parliament members and of course by constitution His Majesty will and should remain the Prime Minister and the Constitutional monarch.
Brunei’s political experts can work out the finer details if His Majesty feels that there is some sense in what I am suggesting.
I have ventured to give these suggestions based on my worry and concern about the future of Brunei as a peaceful Islamic Sultanate.
A multi party democracy will ruin the small nation and make the politicians to loot the nation as we see in very many Asian, African and Latin American countries that have gone for Western form of democracy.
I take this opportunity to pray to Allah SWT to give his majesty peace of mind, happiness, good health and long life and give His Majesty the courage and confidence to serve the people of Brunei.
I ask for His Majesty’s forgiveness for my liberty in making these suggestions, Wallahi these are with all good intentions.
This post was submitted by pa.amin.
3 Responses to “Changes to the election of Tua Kampongs”
I feel that it is important to weigh such suggestion since the people of Brunei are keen to see that the benevolent rule of His Majesty to continue and minor constitutional changes may be necessary ( for example my suggestion about the election Tua Kampongs or Basic democrats) after observing the recent discontent in the Middle East.
Non-Bumiputra contractors, suppliers and foreign business firms operating in Brunei very well know the extent of corruption in Brunei among some of the Government employees from the level of office boys to senior officers. A multi party democracy, in my humble opinion will make things worse allowing politicians to loot and siphon off funds.
This is what happened to democracy in Mali.
People were dissatisfied with the former president Ahmadou Toumani Toure (ATT).
who had brought his own downfall through mismanagement and corruption.
The US had steadfastly supported ATT despite Wikileaks cables on the regime’s alleged complicity in drug trafficking and kidnapping and sharing in ransom payments.
Subsequently it has become increasingly apparent that corruption in the Malian Government was widespread throughout the political class and not limited to ATT and his family (wife and daughters in particular).
Over the past 20 years when Mali was supposedly democratic, virtually all public sector transactions involved some measure of corruption. Government contracts were universally rigged, payments required kickbacks . Political positions were used to obtain bribes and kickbacks, some for themselves and their underlings, and channeled to the political parties to which they were tied. Corruption, not democracy reigned in Mali.
We do not want this in Brunei
We have in Brunei a system of governance that is acceptable to the masses, and we work towards improving the system acceptable to the world community . Basically the West gives a huge lip service to democracy that countries like Mali had. In the heart of heart many good democracies have worked out to the disadvantage of the Western nations as history has shown.
By pa.amin on Jan 24, 2013
You could have the best of the idealisms, rules, laws or regulations in the universe but
could still suffer the worst in this small world if the enforcements were poorly, unethical and most of all, corrupt and hypocritical.
Read: http://rt.com/news/saudi-preacher-fine-rape-333/
By avatar on Feb 5, 2013
@avatar You are hitting the nail right in the middle, I can fully comprehend your fear and I do not fail to disagree. Incidentally look at Singapore which can be a useful model when it comes to enforcement is considerably more effective. Brunei should move on and think seriously in bringing changes before some irresponsible and unpatriotic, selfish, greedy petty politicians become dissidents and join the enemies of Brunei and try to bring sort of changes that we see in countries like Syria, reasons being jeolousy and hatred.
By pa.amin on Feb 23, 2013