Live up to pledge to facilitate (Part 7)

THE Labour Department website's itself admits that: "Brunei's small population can not provide all the manpower needed to implement projects thus skilled and unskilled foreign workers are allowed to work in the country." (The Brunei Times, August 30, 2007). This admission by the Labour Department is a sort of salve to our pains in recruiting foreign workers. But in reality, an admission is different from approving! The sticky processes and mechanisms and cross-purposes of applying for labour quotas and other necessary Immigration approvals/licences and to get them into Brunei must be "sprayed with a powerful administrative, anti-rust WD-40", be revamped or improved dramatically so that it will be efficient fast and pro-business. Not quick propensity to prosecute. But quick to support. This would avoid any bureaucratic-induced tripping and criminalisation. If this drastic improvement is not implemented and operational then the admission would be just another much talk, no walk; rich in statement, poor in action, and the public will continue to suffer pains. Socio-economic growth will continue to get hampered, all will equally suffer in vain. Thus the government must "act as a catalyst and a challenger in shaping the context and institutional structure that stimulates business to gain competitive advantage." (Profs Neo and Chen).

f(iii) It is really illuminating to quote here what Singapore Labour Chief, Mr Lim Swee says about their urgency to recruit more foreign workers: "They (Singaporeans) believe the answer lies in increasing the supply of workers and one way is to make good use of foreign manpower to complement and supplement our local workforce. One reason why we were able to grow faster over the years is because Singaporeans were smart enough to welcome more foreigners to Singapore." (The Strait Times, August 3, 2007)

So, strictly our own problem is neither "to complement" nor "to supplement" our complex, delicate labour supply dilemma with foreign workers. Our real problem has been the "zero supply" of our unemployed locals to join certain SMEs! This zero supply is in fact our "labour gap". On one side, there is the reported 7,000 plus unemployed local job seekers, but very sadly, these job seekers just don't want to come across over the gap to join the other side of employment, the SMEs. So a serious paradox exists between the uninterested 7,000-plus jobseekers and the desperate, frustrated entrepreneurs and their SMEs which the jobseekers just shy way from joining. If they do, then in most cases, they are just fleeting workers, like frogs leaping to other pools where they think the water is good and cool. Testing the water? Like water droplets sliding off the feather?

This labour gap is in fact our "economic chasm". Thus a "human bridge" must be built over it to enable our socio-economic progress to continue travelling smoothly across its desired destination. Inevitably the "human bridge" has to be imported; to "welcome the required foreigners to Brunei". There is therefore no question of "displacing", "robbing", or of an appearance, a settlement, of a "parasitic homosapien invasion" in our country. (Unlike a dreaded bioinvasion which can easily spread, devour local crops or attacking local animals and/or humans.)

We feel, sadly, a time will come when our jobseekers will be forced or force themselves to be part of this human bridge, due to intensified job seeking and competition amongst themselves and due to "No room for complacency as oil dwindles" (The Brunei Times, September 1, 2006.) (Please refer also similar assertion by the Vice Chancellor, UBD that, "The attitude (locals are too selective in choosing jobs) will only change when a crises arises, because there is no shocking factor at the moment that they need to make a drastic change as the oil and gas is still there." (The Brunei Times, September 19, 2007). By then, would our Little Napoleons still stubbornly continue to be anti-business? Or would they be allowed to exists as civil servants? Or become unwanted persons? Only then, very sadly, would they finally realise that businesses are the essential fuel, engine and wheels of economic growth? "It is on the successful performance of entrepreneurs (the risk takers) that economic expansion in modern industrial society largely depends." (Goh Keng Swee).

f(iv) Thus, to prevent anymore rash arbitrary criminalisation against our bona fide entrepreneurs, particularly those fledging entrepreneurs, who want to be self-reliant, who want to recruit direct their much needed foreign workers (not through those so called "manpower services"), it is vital for those overzealous bureaucrats to fully recognise, understand and appreciate this stubborn existence of the "labour gap", which is created by the reluctance of our own jobseekers to work at certain SMEs.The reluctant horses and the river phenomenon! Don't whip the river, whip the reluctant horses. "It is a cart if it goes well, otherwise it is but timber." (Hindustani proverb).

This again would mean an urgent creation and efficient application of empathetic, essential pro-business approach of exercising due diligence — intradepartmental cross and counter-checking — among those "approving"and "controlling" authorities, for example between Labour and Immigration departments, of any application for labour quotas, for any licences; this mechanism and process is vital to prevent any more damaging, unjustified, unilateral rash actions against our helpless entrepreneurs, who are in fact often the victims of bureaucratic shortcomings, inefficiencies and lack of empathy and lack of understanding.

Efficient, empathetic coordination among departments under different ministries are vital to prevent cross-purposes, one approving, one rejecting, the entrepreneurs are the victims, and the economy will be stagnating. A stagnant water is foul and a fertile medium for breeding of harmful mosquitoes.

The vital importance of economic success and power for the common good of the nation is clearly indicated in the Singapore Government 2007 Budget Policy. The policy, among others, creates "... slew of (government) measures aimed at creating an SME haven intended to make Singapore the best place in the world for small and medium-sized enterprises (SMEs) to start, grow and globalise" (The Strait Times, , February 16, 2007). The Singapore Government even gave "SMEs (receive) $500m boost to help them expand aboard." (The Strait Times, July 28, 2006). Please note the policy emphasis. Their aim is not to make Singapore a good place in the world for SMEs; but to be the best in the world for SMEs! But contrast this very deliberate constructive policy with the destructive attitude and mentality of our Little Napoleons. Perhaps this Verse 205 of Surah Al Baqarah, 2 may be apt here: "And when he holds authority, he makes effort in the land to cause mischief in it and destroy tilt and offspring; and Allah loves not mischief."

f(v) Our concern here is not to bother or burden the government of His Majesty the Sultan and Yang Di-Peruan of Brunei Darussalam with financial support, loans or safety net. There are young fledging entrepreneurs who are determined to be self-reliant, not to burden the state. Our primary appeal, request for help, is to make our bureaucrats, in particular those Little Napoleons, to be efficient, to be empathetic and understanding, to be pro-supporter of business, so that instead of sadistically tripping and criminalising bona fide entrepreneurs and their SMEs (due to those bureaucrats' own shortcomings, inefficiencies and failure to understand), they must learn how to appreciate the acute difficulties and sufferings of the helpless entrepreneurs/citizens); they (those bureaucrats) must be the trusted, the efficient, the empathetic guides, the saviours, of entrepreneurs and their SMEs, not their destroyers. After all, we eat from the same rice pot; why destroy the rice pot?

In order not to inflict more difficulties and sufferings, to lessen the public's burden, the bureaucrats must quickly install and execute these essential checks and balances processes and mechanisms of due diligence — intradepartmental counter and cross-checking — through shared views, coordinated tasks, coordinated structures, linkage mechanisms, common purpose, and we have this traditional-cultural practice of bermuzakarah-bermuafakat, perkara yang payah senang diungyah diangkat; jangan sama-sakali terus dimamah, boleh menjadikan ekonomi kita lembek dan lemah, sasama sendiri yang jatoh rabah.

f (vi) Perhaps this much desired development, change, is the subject of the Apec Economic Policy report, such as the one contributed by Brunei Darussalam on "Public Sector Governance", which among others highlights: "The Brunei government (is giving) priority to producing skilled, disciplined, well educated, motivated and versatile civil servants who can adapt quickly to a changing environment. To make it more efficient in carrying out its functions, roles and responsibilities in a way that will facilitate national development (by being) more transparent, dynamic, responsive, accountable, effective and efficient. This transformation requires strong and effective leadership (of the Prime Minister's Office)... to initiate and maintain the momentum of reform and steer the country toward sustainable economic development." ("Brunei pledges paradigm shift in civil service", Borneo Bulletin)

(But then, we are now confused by the reports "Declining interest in Civil Service Awards alarming", The Brunei Times, September 18, 2007. And "Competitiveness key to success" The Brunei Times, Sept 19, 2007.)

Judging from this "pledge" which has been made public at the Apec-Australia 2007, for the world to listen and to evaluate, is really a very serious determination and commitment of the government of His Majesty.

Yang Dimuliakan Pehin Orang Kaya Lela Raja Dato Seri Laila Jasa Haji Awang Abdul Rahman bin Haji Awang Karim, DSLJ, PJK was formerly Permanent Secretary of the Ministry of Finance and the Ministry of Defence



Part 8 continues tomorrow