In the past 75 weeks, I have contributed management articles on these pages, where I have tried to concentrate largely on the value of instituting the ‘Best Internationally Accepted Practices’ and on the need to adhere to the highest ideals of ‘Good Governance’. The underlying message in all contributions was the need to create and respect good governance. This is also a reaffirmation of the same.

After 78 years of independence, we are still struggling to define what good governance is and how it can be effectively deployed. To have in place the relevant standards enshrined in the body of law, rules, and regulations is one thing; their adoption and implementation are a totally different ball game. Adoption requires will — something that has always remained illusory. It has been perennially beyond the horizon of understanding and appreciation. The desire is to apply ‘standards’ of behaviour and operating procedures upon ‘others’, while consistently seeking ‘personal exemption’. This attitude is true for all types of leadership, from the political to the corporate and from religious to social leadership; they all seek treatment that must be above the law.

In this quest for exemptions, they openly flout the standards while making vociferous calls upon others to follow systems. The dichotomy of belief and behaviour runs through all levels of society. It is, in fact, difficult to fathom why people holding power cannot respect basic traffic rules and lights. Certainly, it is not for ‘security’ reasons, because they travel in cavalcades of 30–40 vehicles (that appear to be running in some Formula 1 Grand Prix), carrying gun-toting soldiers or security personnel. If they break traffic lights for security reasons, then they must ask themselves about the need to waste so many resources.

There is, I believe, some law in place that prohibits the ‘display of arms’; so how is it that the follow-up vehicles keep pointing their automatic weapons at otherwise innocent and unarmed travellers on the road, who are mostly tax-compliant? Should any of them dare not to move away from their right of way, they begin to hit the offending vehicles with the bayonets and butts of their weapons.

Look at the leaders of other countries. They travel too with security, but to most, the ring of security is obscure and not blatantly visible. I think it is raw pride, arrogance and vanity that prevail; respect for the law can remain under the wheels of their weight and vehicles. How can there be an expectation of good when the grain is one of evil? “There’s small choice in rotten apples (read behaviour),” wrote William Shakespeare some 500 years ago (The Taming of the Shrew).

Feather by feather, we have all along plucked away our values. Should we demand and hasten for “justice” and shout against “injustices”? A thinking and forward-looking leadership’s responsibility is to make available a doable framework for conducting business, which in turn must be transparent, accountable and conducive to economic growth. Every constituent must have an equal opportunity to pursue an economic interest for self-improvement that ultimately would lead to the collective well-being of the State. Poverty tends to obliterate and destroy all virtues.

Corruption and bad practices are both visible and hidden — they are blatant and smudged too. Good conduct, which obviously should be a given in a country that was founded on the ideals of the most inspiring religion, has been pushed into the backyard of ‘forgotten ideals’. The country has had to regulate to remind itself of the need for good governance through a strict code of observance.

We as a society turn a blind eye to those who live beyond their means. Should this aspect itself not be good enough reason to probe the source of wealth? The judiciary remains embroiled in its own web of misunderstandings and largely misplaced priorities of territorial and judicial reach.

I have pointed out many times in my writings that if my electricity bill is being paid by someone else, or the amount paid is not in step with my revenue generation, should any watchdog not wake up from its deep slumber and ask a question? People pay their travel bills but not taxes — how much intelligence does one need to plug revenue gaps and lapses? Are we as a nation short on intellect and intelligence? No, I do not think so. The system is actually benefiting the elite, and the dispossessed have no say or even the spine to stand up and complain. Great crimes and injustices secure the small ones.

The need for good governance is an imperative for progress. The fungus of corruption that has enveloped our minds through poor leadership quality must now be expunged. Business leadership is more guilty than political leadership for the reason that it is they who abuse ‘concessions’ granted by the government. Who avails these concessions, subsidies and grants? The poor of this country, or the powerful elite? The violators of governance standards are not the people on the street but those who are in power, either by virtue of being loaded with wealth — regardless of its source — or by being holders of offices of authority.

Even the strongest thunderclap would not wake a person with a clear and clean conscience; on the other hand, a mere knock on the door would drive anxiety levels to dizzying heights. Look at the sales of antidepressants to get an idea of society.

Followers tend to behave as their leaders do. So if the CEO remains violative of the code of corporate governance, the remaining staff become strong adherents to the dictum, “It is ill sitting in Rome and striving against the Pope.” They all line up to milk the system, as per availability, convenience and opportunity.

Governance standards are not meant to be dampeners on the stimulus for economic growth. Instead, they are meant to facilitate fresh investments with the least interference from the government. If it is the private sector that needs to amend itself, the government too must move with full steam, from lip service to the actual execution of good standards of ethical business behaviour. In this quest, the judiciary must play its role and not facilitate the corrupt through adjournments and relief. Truth and justice must prevail as the first requisite of having in place good governance standards.

Governance and good governance are strengths, not weaknesses.

 Note: The author is going on a hiatus and will resume his column sometime at the end of the year.

Sirajuddin AzizThe writer is a Senior Banker & Freelance Columnist.

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