Let's pull together as a team, build nation (Part 10)

SUCCESSFUL entrepreneurs are vital to create, to grow and to make SMEs flourish, which generate about 90 per cent of a country's income (GDP) and almost 90 per cent create employment. This is the prescient Prophecy of the Hadith. The Hadith is clear; why then those Little Napoleons hinder?

It is again vital to remind ourselves, in particular those who need to "improve their out look" by relating the pithy wisdom of the titah to what the Carnegie Endowment for International Peace asserted: that "...with the exception of some of the oil-endowed Gulf states and to a limited degree, Turkey and Malaysia, every single Muslim countries has failed to enter the developed world.

Even so the wealth of the Gulf States does not indicate economic might. Oil, the primary asset of the Arab world, is only nominally under the control of the Arab Governments since the west determine its flow and its revenues." (An excerpt from the editorial of New Strait Times, December 4, 2001, titled: "Islamic or Man's economic failure?") As a farther reminder, perhaps this editorial "Islamic or Man's economic failure?" must be the direct result of the Ummah's failure to heed those relevant various Hadiths .

So in the final analysis, the brain and economic power rest on top of the brawn and valour power. The former feels superior, the latter feels inferior. Inferiority complex leads to loss of self-respect.

Even to identity oneself as a Muslim one felt vulnerable. (This situation was intimated to us by a gentleman who claimed to be a brother of Dr Habibi, at a chance encounter in the surau, Singapore Airport.)

Thus one is tongue-tide by embarrassment to say openly and loudly, Allhamdulillah!

In Islamic context, being "glorious" in the halal way, is not being subjugated, but being respected by the world, be successful in many ways in this world and, Inshallah, in the Hereafter. Being "glorious" in a context of another Hadith is that "A person who continues begging from people during his life, will be resurrected on the Day of Judgment with a face devoid of flesh", Narrated by Abdullah Ibu Umar. Jangan sakali salahkan Takdir, salahkan diri sendiri. Never ever blame Destiny, blame our own follies. Muslims for almost 1500 years have been constantly Divinely Reminded by Allah (swt) in the Holy Quran (and by many Hadiths) such as: Surah An Anfal,8:Verse53: "Because Allah will never change the grace which He hath bestowed on a people until they change what is in their (own) souls..."

Surah Arradu,13:Verse 11: "Verily never will Allah change the condition of a people until they change what is in themselves. But when (once) Allah willeth a people's punishment, there can be no turning back, nor will they find, besides Him, any to protect."

Surah AnNajnn,53: Verse 39-41: "That man can have nothing but what he strives for. That (the fruit of) his striving will soon come in sight. Then will he be rewarded with a reward complete."

Thus, fully mindful of these Surah and Verses of the Holy Quran, and those Hadiths, it is our socio-religious-economic imperative to change our current condition for the better, through our efficient, trusted, empathetic, pro-business administrative processes and mechanisms as directed in the titah by "pulling together" to make SMEs successful and flourish, creating a beneficial socioeconomic, ripple multiplier macroeconomic effect.

The titah also clearly commands civil servants to constantly review and revise the outdated, the counterproductive, self-defeating processes and mechanisms which cause sufferings to the people, by being guided by their then enlightened, empathetic, pro-business, out look. The essence of the titah advising those civil servants to review, revise tardy regulations, processes, to discard their anti-business mentality and outlook which collectively create ruinous hurdles to the people, to the socio-economic progress of the nation, is reflected in what Thomas Jefferson said in July 12, 1816: "Law and institutions must go hand in hand with the progress of the human mind."

But most regrettably, the recent experience by an entrepreneur has confirmed that the fact of his sufferings caused by those bureaucratic duress due to inefficiencies and delays show that he was "defeated" by the law that has not gone hand in hand with progress of the human mind.

Due also to lack of empathetic cross-checking; his dreams and aspirations to be self-reliant to start his SME, to support his family got crushed in spite of that clear Divine Guidance in Verse 173, Surah Al-Baqarah.

The human mind has the ability to reason, the most intelligent; so reason must rule laws. Laws can easily and quickly become outdated and irrelevant, but can be lethal when laws override reason. Reason being so fluid, so adaptable, has the capacity to understand.

Objective, constructive reason is moulded by improved enlightened outlook, as dictated by existing, current environment, situation, even by anticipation.

It is essential, to prevent injustice, for bureaucrats to base their decision objectively, based on what they really know, understand about the current reality of the needs, difficulties, sufferings of the people, not on what they subjectively abstractly, pedantically think exclusivity. No guess work.

Those bureaucrats must "immediately improve their outlook" by thinking ahead, thinking again, thinking across, by talking to those entrepreneurs, not harassing them. Business is somebody's livelihood, his/her family's survival. Employed hands, active minds are the medicine. Idle hands, drifting minds are corrosive poison. Even renowned medical specialists regularly seek a "second opinion", rechecking, reexamining before taking informed action. The ability to think ahead, to think again, and to think across is vital. Checking and counter checking between departments, among related authorities, to prevent injustice is vital to prevent national self-immolation. "The differences of opinion among the learned of my community are a sign of God's grace," - Hadith. So please discuss, understand, feel, be empathetic not apathetic to lessen the public's burden. A public burden is our collective national burden. Rather than arrest more, help, guide more. All will, inshaAllah, have more.

The pithy advice in the titah that "the civil service's processes and mechanisms to be constantly reviewed and revised" demands and requires empathetic feelings and understanding as required by the Holy Quran 60: Verse 8, that Allah (swt) commanded kindness and justice to be shown "amongst all of the kinds of community and creed", apart from the basic Islamic requirements to be generous, fair and being kind to the weaker members of society.

"Be gentle (with the people) and be not hard (on them) rejoice and do not incite (them) to aversion." - Hadith. So please heed the titah. Do not ever destroy people's livelihood. Those bureaucrats must, as it should be, help the people to be productive, prosper and contented, able to pay zakat-fitrah, giving sedakah, feeling religiously, nationally committed.

In this issue, the bureaucrats who hold "approving power" and "controlling power" are the stronger members of society. So they must be extra careful not to assume that might is right. Directly and indirectly our national survival is at stake. Since an individual family unit is a microcosm of a nation, in the context of our national interest and survival, perhaps this analogy by adducing this Quranic verse may be useful as a guide: "If anyone saved a life, it would be as if he saved the life of a whole people" (Surah Al-Maidah 5:Verse 35).

If the bureaucrats could save one business of an entrepreneur, then collectively it would equivalent to the saving of the businesses, economy of the entire nation. Sikit sikit jadi bukit. Grains of sand will overtime become an island.Be protective like the military, the police, the security, the fire brigade services and paramedics who stake their lives for other's welfare. "One day in the pursuit of justice is worth more than sixty years in prayer." - Hadith.

To "constantly review and revise" the bureaucratic processes and mechanisms also demands the bureaucrats' nimbleness of mind, the dexterity and knowledge, the sacrifice of comradeship, the unity of purpose, the synchronisation of actions, the love and respect for one another, so as to make them totally fair, efficient, effective, strong and focused in solving problems, directly promoting and facilitating, our socio-economic progress, smoothly, steadily.

Economic progress is powered by the flourishing businesses/SMEs of the entrepreneurs; its driver being the trusted competent, agile, efficient and effective pro-business-minded civil service. "It is on the successful performance of entrepreneurs that economic expansion in modern industrial society largely depends," Goh Keng Swee, in the book "Goh Keng Swee and Southeast Asian Governance" by Ian Patric Austin.

The essential and urgent need to constantly review and revise and to improve the outlook of civil servants is to make them as mentally agile and decisive as the entrepreneurs do when dealing with the fast, constant changes in cut-throat competitive local, regional, world markets. Speed is life. The slow is eaten by the fast. Always anticipating rather than waiting and reacting. The pressure for survival is always great and rentless in the business world.

So it is only fitting, reasonable and in fact a national obligation for the civil servants to lessen the burden of those entrepreneurs, to reduce the public's burden. Hence the essence of the advice in the titah that "all hurdles hindering achievements or delaying efficient service" that "all agencies that still retain tardy regulations or processes to immediately improve their outlook", that "the civil service processes and mechanisms to be constantly reviewed and revised" is reflected in this following adage of The Tao Te Chung:

"Men are born soft and supple;

dead, they are stiff and hard.

Plants are born tender and pliant;

Dead, they are brittle and dry.

Thus, whoever is stiff and inflexible is a disciple of death.

Whoever is soft and yielding is a disciple of life."

(Source: "It's not the big that eats the small it's the fast that eat the slow" by Jason Jennings and Laurence Haughton)

Thus, it is again a truism that the archenemy of speed and survival is lack of flexibility. Any civil service which is not tardy, which is competent, empathetic, conscientious, knowledgeable, with nimble minds and actions (flexible), and helpful, guiding, diligent (yielding) is a driver of success. A civil service that efficiently, effectively, skillfully facilitating, promoting the growth and successes of SMEs and their respective entrepreneurs is a national saviour. Flourishing SMEs are essential and urgently needed by the country as embodied in the titah and as has been reminded by those Hadiths.

In conclusion, in order to make our socio-economic development progress steadily, confidently upward, without any bureaucratic victimisation, the public sector (the Civil Service) plus the entrepreneurs/risk takers (the business sector, including the Royal Brunei Airlines plus the Tourism Board, the Brunei Shell Bhd and the like) plus the rest of the public (the people) must move, strive in tandem, earnestly, diligently, empathetically heeding the titah — "Do not just serve, but serve people equally." (The Brunei Times, August 8, 2007). Moreover they should try "...to start pulling together to tackle any problem they (SMEs) may face ...(and) to reduce the public's burden..." ("Make SMEs engine of growth, says His Majesty" (The Brunei Times, July 16, 2007).

The overall essence of all those titah, working, striving together, pulling together in tandem, is we believe reflected in the following story on the life history of the Prophet (saw) which should at least be emulated by our civil servants: starting pulling together to serve people equally to reduce public's burden.

"I will gather the firewood" It is related that while on a journey, the Prophet (saw) ordered his companions to prepare a sheep for food. One man said, "I will perform dhabh on it, Messenger of God." Another said, "I will skin it." Another said, "I will cook it." And the Prophet said, "I will gather the firewood."

To this they all said , "Messenger of God, you don't need to work; we will do whatever is to be done."

"I know that you will do for me whatever is to be done," said the Prophet, "but I do not like to be set apart from you. God does not like to see His servant aloof from his companions."(Source: "Islam the natural way." by Abdul Wahid Hamud.)

This prophetic practice , and example, "I do not like to be set apart from you.Allah does not like to see His servant aloof from his companions" is parallel to the advice in the titahs "to start pulling together to lessen the public's burden" and to "serve people equally", is a very moving and powerful practical, ethical, socio-religious-economic example of hands on, walk-the-talk, application of our MIB practice for our bureaucrats to turun padang to feel, jangan hanya pandang, to understand, to appreciate the problems of the people, without fanfare. No more victimisation of those hapless entrepreneurs by those Little Napoleons.

We could safely surmise that the practical Islamic egalitarian practice of the Prophet (saw) is equivalent to the modern socio-economic-religious concept of the "PPP" (the Public Private Partnership) as was mooted by the Minister of Development (The Brunei Times, July 29, 2007) and earlier by the Deputy Minister of Defence (The Brunei Times , in 2006).Berat sama dipikul, ringan sama dijinjing.

Equally sharing the burden, the pains, the problems with sincere empathy in our efforts of nation building. Bukanya, kau-kau, aku-aku. Itu kau punya fasal, bukan aku punya hal.

Please remember: We are all sailing in the same boat! So do not ever rock the boat. Plug any leakage. Safely steer the boat away from stormy weather.

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.



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