Rightways: Election

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Sunday 29 January 2023

A New Zealand story that Asean can learn from

New Zealand - Wikipedia

Wellington

New Zealand Prime Minister Jacinda Ardern reacts following the announcement of her resignation at the War Memorial Hall in Napier, New Zealand, on Jan. 19. (Reuters/AAP Image/Ben McLay)

New Zealand Prime Minister Jacinda Ardern won the hearts of Muslims across the globe when she, wearing a headscarf, comforted the families of victims of the massacre in two mosques by a white supremacist in Christchurch in 2019. Last Thursday, she again astonished an even larger audience with her abrupt resignation, although she stands a great chance to win the upcoming election in October.

The mother of four-year-old Neve Te Aroha Ardern Gayford has undoubtedly made a name for herself as an icon of statesmanship. She has played a role model of a leader who not only does her best for her nation, but also knows when to fade away to ensure a sustainable succession. She could have sought a third term, but she shows she is not hungry for power.

"The responsibility to know when you are the right person to lead and also when you are not. I know what this job takes. And I know that I no longer have enough in the tank to do it justice. It's that simple," the 42-year-old politician said of her reason to step down.

With a population of 5 million, New Zealand is a tiny nation. But its economic size ranks the country among the world’s richest. The country is a permanent dialogue partner of ASEAN along with the United States, China, the European Union, Australia, Japan, South Korea, Russia and India. Unlike close neighbor Australia, which acts as the deputy sheriff of the US, New Zealand has distanced itself from the rivalry of major powers.

Through her exemplary decision, Ardern has taught politicians, male and female, a lesson that they should be ready to leave office when the public do not want them anymore, or else the people will force them to go. Some leaders are willing to step down but prepare their own men or children as successors, but this is clearly not the case in New Zealand under Ardern.

President Joko “Jokowi” Widodo may have to ask his die-hard supporters who have been pushing for his term extension to reflect on Ardern’s bold decision. To prevent rampant abuse of power, which was rampant during the New Order authoritarian rule, the Constitution was amended in 1999 to limit presidential tenure to only twice.

In fact, Indonesian political culture knows no resignation. Politicians or officials tend to cling on power as long as possible by justifying all means.

Ardern won the Labor Party leadership shortly before she won the 2017 election. Her party further won the 2020 election. At that time she was facing at least three major challenges which she could overcome: The 2019 shooting spree of Muslims, the COVID-19 pandemic and the eruption of the White Island Volcano. Her strict lockdown policy to contain the COVID-19 transmission was much criticized, but later she proved she was right and her critics wrong.

The Labor Party elected Education Minister Chris Hipkins as Ardern’s successor on Sunday. The party hopes Ardern’s graceful exit will help it win the October election.

The world loves to see her as a true mother of New Zealand. Her ability to simultaneously perform her state and personal responsibilities, as a mother and wife, inspired and was looked up to by women all over the world. From the beginning, she has proven that women can break the glass ceiling when it comes to the highest office, which in advanced democracies like the US has not yet happened.

She has taught a precious lesson to world leaders that they should know when to call it quits. A true leader will not wait until his or her people force them to go. And we all owe it to Ardern’s beautiful mind.

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Sunday 4 September 2022

POOR POLITICAL LITERACY AMONG YOUTHS

Political Literacy among Youths: A Never Ending Discourse | Malaysian Students' Global Allianve

Undi18: How Malaysian youths can become better voters in GE15

EDUCATION institutions should play a more active role in helping youths be more politically literate.

Political literacy, when honed in the groves of academe especially, would enable youths to make more informed voting decisions at the polls.

As it stands, a recent study by Universiti Tunku Abdul Rahman Tun Tan Cheng Lock Centre for Social and Policy Studies (TCLC) found that Malaysian youths mainly acquired their political knowledge from family and friends.

These two groups, the study found, significantly influenced the youths' voting decisions.

ALSO READ: Study: Malaysian youths rely on family and friends for GE15 voting advice

TCLC chairman Dr Chin Yee Mun said poor political literacy is partly to be blamed for this lack of independent thought among young voters.

Higher education institutions (HEIs), he said, should take on the mantle of getting youths to be more politically literate.

“HEIs are supposed to be the centre to build critical thinking individuals who will eventually be wise and responsible citizens.

Chin: Poor political literacy is partly to be blamed for the lack of independent thought among young voters.Chin: Poor political literacy is partly to be blamed for the lack of independent thought among young voters.“>>

Such aspiration is enshrined in most HEIs' vision. Imparting knowledge and creating experience that is related to politics are part of the pathways to build such citizens,” he told StarEdu.

HEIs, he suggested, should start creating subjects that specifically educate youths about politics and the election process.“Such a subject should be made compulsory.

At the same time, activities that encourage students to be responsible voters should be carried out by various clubs and societies in HEIs,” he said, while calling on HEIs to organise more forums and conferences to discuss national and international political issues.

Most local universities, according to the Malaysian Association of Private Colleges and Universities (Mapcu), include political literacy discussions in the various General Studies modules which all students are required to take.

Mapcu president Datuk Dr Parmjit Singh, however, noted that the discussions are carried out sensitively so as “not to encourage the sort of polemics that could lead to disharmony”.

“The focus is on strengthening students’ sense of citizenship and ensuring that students can make sense of fundamental principles such as parliamentary democracy, rule of law, separation of powers, elections, and the first-past-the-post system,” he said.

Parmjit echoed Chin’s view that HEIs should educate youths so that they can be more independent in their voting decisions.

Parmjit: It’s important that students receive early exposure to political literacy.>>

“Universities and colleges can play a role in developing political literacy among students by ensuring that they are well-equipped with the ability to critically evaluate the options available to them and to make informed, mature decisions amid all the information and misinformation that they are constantly exposed to, particularly in social circles and on social media.

“This thought process is a natural outcome of university education,” he said.Improving political literacy among youths is even Parmjit: It’s important that students receive early exposure to political literacy.Parmjit: It’s important that students receive early exposure to political literacy.more pertinent now with Undi18.

The constitutional amendment, which came into force last year, lowers the minimum voting age and age of candidacy from 21 to 18. The law also introduces automatic voter registration.

Following the implementation of Undi18, over 450,000 students in HEIs will be eligible to vote in the upcoming elections.

ALSO READ: N Noraini: Committee to prep students for GE15

This is about 38% of the 1.2 million students in the country’s HEIs, according to the Higher Education Ministry.Its minister Datuk Seri Dr Noraini Ahmad, on Jan 27, said the ministry has a role to play in preparing students from a political point of view.

“Based on a study the ministry conducted last year, varsity students’ political literacy can be improved by consolidating and strengthening their appreciation of existing policies and Acts.

“The ministry is collaborating with other government departments and agencies to raise students’ awareness (of political matters) as they prepare to become voters,” she said.

Malaysia is expected to see almost 23 million eligible voters in the 15th General Election (GE15), an increase from the 15 million for GE14.

Early exposure necessary

Given that the minimum voting age has been lowered, it’s also worth considering an earlier exposure to political systems and election processes for students.

Parmjit said this could begin when youths are in their formative teenage years.

“It is important that students receive this sort of exposure even before they enter university or college.

"In this regard, schools, particularly at the secondary level, need to play a role in sowing the seeds of political literacy,” he said.

If it’s up to Chin, though, the learning process should begin at an even earlier stage.

“There should be a dedicated subject to educate Malaysians on politics at the primary school level.

"Currently, such knowledge is built into the syllabus through the teaching of Bahasa Melayu, English, Moral Education and History subjects,” he said.

The current syllabus taught at the primary school level, according to Chin, concentrates mostly on the Malaysian political system but it’s “simply not enough”.

Nisa: Youths need to be more proactive in seeking out political knowledge on their own.Nisa: Youths need to be more proactive in seeking out political knowledge on their own.>>

“While this information is important, other aspects of political education should be inserted too. They should be taught what politics is and how it functions.

“Similarly, they should be exposed to the various political systems that are practised around the world,” he said.

Political education, Chin said, should be taught as a standalone subject.

He added that as students advance to secondary school, more complex topics – such as political sociology and political science – can be taught.

“The inclusion of critical thinking skills via these disciplines will make the study of the Malaysian political system interesting and useful,” he said.

Undi18 programme associate Nisa Muzamir Shah also believes that political literacy should be instilled at the primary level.

“We need to amend the syllabus to equip students as young as 13 years old with essential modules related to democracy to better prepare them for Undi18.

“We definitely need to revamp our education syllabus to introduce fundamental topics on politics and democracy. There needs to be a committee that oversees the process to ensure that these syllabi are not biased.

“On this point, teachers should also be equipped with sufficient training to allow critical thinking and encourage healthy political discourse in classes,” she said.

Learn as they go

While formal education is certainly important, it’s not the be-all and end-all of political literacy.

Educationist and Universiti Malaya former professor of education Tan Sri Dr T. Marimuthu said developing political maturity happens over a long period.

Educationist and Universiti Malaya former professor of education Tan Sri Dr T. Marimuthu said developing political maturity happens over a long period of time. - Filepic

It isn’t something that one merely learns within the confines of a lecture hall – or a classroom, for that matter.

“What you get in the classroom is just information. What is more important is that youths are able to differentiate between what is good what is not,” he said.

Und18’s Nisa said youths need to be more proactive in seeking out political knowledge on their own.

Information is easily accessible and research is made easy with so many resources available, she said.

“They need to train themselves to view a particular issue from different perspectives in order to come up with a well-thought-out solution and to be able to have empathy on how certain policies or regulations could be disadvantageous or oppressive to some groups of people,” she said.

What’s important is that youths should feel that they have a say in political decisions.

“Every vote counts in our democratic system. We get to choose the people who represent us in Parliament and who advocate for and address the issues we care about,” she said.

Aira: Youths must exercise their voting rights.

Institute for Democracy and Economic Affairs (Ideas) senior manager of research Aira Azhari agrees that youths must exercise their voting rights.Aira: Youths must exercise their voting rights.Aira: Youths must exercise their voting rights.>>

Youths, she said, must realise that being allowed to vote in an election is a basic human right in global democracies.

That said, Marimuthu believes that youths can always learn about politics as they go.

When youths first cast their ballots at age 18, they are still new to the game.

“At this point, they are novices just starting to get a feel of politics. They are bound to be influenced by those around them. But that is not a bad thing.“They are coming into the political arena, and they will make a difference if they exercise their rights to vote.

“As they grow up, they will be more politically mature,” he concluded.

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Tuesday 19 January 2021

Democracy in the US in clear and present danger

https://youtu.be/-oAudzgilHU

Next Wednesday, Joseph Biden will be anointed President, guarded by 20,000 National Guard troops in battle gear against not foreign enemies, but domestic threats

A week is a long time in politics. Last Wednesday, armed supporters of President Trump stormed the sanctity of the Capitol, the temple of American democracy.

This Wednesday, President Trump became the first president in American history to be impeached twice.

Next Wednesday, Joseph Biden will be anointed President, guarded by 20,000 National Guard troops in battle gear against not foreign enemies, but domestic threats.

This was supposed to happen only in Hollywood movie scripts.

Consider these bizarre facts: the pandemic is claiming more than 4,000 deaths daily in the United States; digital media like Twitter, YouTube and Facebook have banned tweets and comments by their own President; all US stock market indices are still rising, and bitcoin has surged by 27.9% in 13 days.

The article of impeachment stated in more stark terms than any foreign commentator would dare to express: “President Trump gravely endangered the security of the United States and its institutions of government. He threatened the integrity of the democratic system, interfered with the peaceful transition of power, and imperiled a coequal branch of government.

“He thereby betrayed his trust as President, to the manifest injury of the people of the United States.Wherefore, Donald John Trump, by such conduct, has demonstrated that he will remain a threat to national security, democracy, and the Constitution if allowed to remain in office, and has acted in a manner grossly incompatible with self-governance and the rule of law.

“Donald John Trump thus warrants impeachment and trial, removal from office, and disqualification to hold and enjoy any office of honour, trust, or profit under the United States.”

House Speaker Nancy Pelosi (pic below)summed it up as “he is a clear and present danger to the nation.”

Arguably, Trump has committed the sin of poisoning the well of democracy, not just in America, but for the rest of the world.

Although Western democrats extol its virtues back to the Greek Age, modern liberal democracy is very recent.

As late as 1978, only one third of the world lived in democracies; by 2015, more than half do. But since then, populism, Brexit and Trumpism have caused many to lament that democracy is receding.

Today, the gold standard of liberal democracy in America is being tested, if not questioned.

Work in progress

The problem is that liberal democracy based on social equality, rule of law, tolerance of diversity, is a work in progress.

Given very different cultures, history, religion and institutional set-ups, democracy is practiced differently, requiring huge efforts by all citizens.

Democracy that has no performance-accountability when what is promised is not delivered.

That became evident when the 2008 global financial crisis accentuated rising social inequality and insecurity to large segments of the population.

Democratic politics fragmented and did not seem to be able to deliver on promises.

Austrian economist and political philosopher Joseph Schumpeter became famous for his observation that the driver of capitalism was entrepreneurship, which led to creative destruction. He was equally original and sharp in his realist analysis of democracy.

In his classic Capitalism, Socialism and Democracy, four conditions must be satisfied for democracy to work: the quality of politicians in terms of ability and moral character; social consensus that democracy does not solve everything; a well-trained and effective bureaucracy; and finally, “effective competition for leadership requires a large measure of tolerance for difference of opinion.”

Schumpeter understood that democracy has difficulty in making decisions when society is deeply divided.

Vote-seeking

Vote-seeking behaviour means that policies are always for the short-term, so politicians under serve the long-term interests of the nation.

For example, democratic and rich countries like Australia cannot even agree on dealing with climate change, because vested interests in the mining industry consistently block change through lobbying. If democracies cannot deliver long-term structural reforms that are painful and unpopular, then in the long-run, citizens will seek alternatives, such as autocracies or anocracies (democracy with autocratic characteristics).

Trump put American democracy in clear and present danger by violating all four Schumpeter conditions.

First, nearly half the voting population ignored his moral issues, because they believed him calling the mainstream news as “fake”.

Second, he violated many of the unspoken rules, codes and conventions that buttressed democratic checks and balances, aided by lawyers and attorney generals whom he also threw under the bus.

Third, he questioned the loyalty and efficacy of the vaunted American bureaucracy, which then failed to protect the Capitol from violent protests.

Lastly, he openly sought division, rather than work bi-partisanly to heal social divisions.

Asians have much to learn from Schumpeter, who foresaw that democracy is about majority rule, but works in practice through an elite that deals in votes rather than in money. Since capitalism by definition values money more than labour, money under financial capitalism has a nasty habit of corrupting politics.

How to control money politics from corroding diverse rights and public goods is a perennial issue in all systems of governance.

If there is one lesson that should resonate in Asia, it is that violence cannot be an answer to the democratic process.

Inciting violence

Trump realised too late that inciting violence in his supporters to protect his version of electoral victory ended up with him denouncing violence in the name of law and order.

Retribution occurs to those who incite violence abroad, because violence can bounce back at home.

Next week, the Trump Reality Show will thankfully end, and life will return to some form of normality, so we can address the threats of pandemic and job losses without being diverted by another tweet.

For Trump, impeachment will only withdraw his right to hold further public office. He was made by media, and he will be haunted by media for the rest of his life. But he will go on to earn millions from book sales and paid appearances.

The clear and present danger to democracy is a distorted system where heads I win, tails you lose.

We need to change this system, but we don’t know how to do this democratically. Perhaps Joe Biden has the answer.

By Andrew Sheng, a Distinguished Fellow of Fung Global Institute, a global think tank based in Hong Kong. The views expressed here are his own.

Source link

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Democracy in the US in clear and present danger

https://youtu.be/-oAudzgilHU

Next Wednesday, Joseph Biden will be anointed President, guarded by 20,000 National Guard troops in battle gear against not foreign enemies, but domestic threats

A week is a long time in politics. Last Wednesday, armed supporters of President Trump stormed the sanctity of the Capitol, the temple of American democracy.

Source link

How security threats and Covid have changed Joe Biden's inauguration ceremony

Biden inauguration: How security threats and Covid have changed ceremony

Troops descend on US capital to ensure the new president can be sworn in amid threats of violence.

bbc.com

Blaming China For US Poverty And The Broken American Dream

https://youtu.be/e-E8Ex1bgmQ

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Sunday 29 January 2023

New Zealand - Wikipedia

Victoria University of Wellington

The University of Auckland

University of Otago, University of Otago, New Zealand

Related posts:

Sunday 4 September 2022

Political Literacy among Youths: A Never Ending Discourse | Malaysian Students' Global Allianve

Undi18: How Malaysian youths can become better voters in GE15

Tuesday 19 January 2021

How security threats and Covid have changed Joe Biden's inauguration ceremony

Donald Trump's end-of-term disgrace stems as always from big lies...

Donald Trump impeachment: A chaotic presidency doomed to end in disgrace...

Blaming China For US Poverty And The Broken American Dream

Trump Is ‘Blaming Black And Brown People For Covid-19 Surge

EVERY NATION ON EARTH, UNLESS A FAILED STATE HAS LAWS PTOTECTING NATIONAL SECURITY

How security threats and Covid have changed Joe Biden's inauguration ceremony

Donald Trump's end-of-term disgrace stems as always from big lies...

Donald Trump impeachment: A chaotic presidency doomed to end in disgrace...

Blaming China For US Poverty And The Broken American Dream

Trump Is ‘Blaming Black And Brown People For Covid-19 Surge

EVERY NATION ON EARTH, UNLESS A FAILED STATE HAS LAWS PTOTECTING NATIONAL SECURITY