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Sunday, August 17, 2014

NGOs must remain non-partisan


COMMENT With rapid socio-economic development and access to education, Malaysians are now more aware of their individual and collective rights. This has resulted in the growth of a vibrant civil society in Malaysia, despite a number of restrictive laws.

NGOs play critical roles as watchdogs of good governance, democracy, human rights, environment and many other issues.

In demanding greater accountability of government, NGOs have consistently raised questions about power, transparency, participation and democracy.

However, NGOS differ from political parties in two fundamental ways:
  • They are not chosen by an electorate
  • They do not govern
NGOS are not alternatives to political parties.

NGOS represent the collective interests of specific groups such as indigenous people, women, children, workers, urban poor, migrants etc or advocate for a whole range of issues, environment, climate change, free and fair elections

Importantly, NGOS are involved in non-partisan political activities such as monitoring of implementation of various forms of rights, electoral fraud, policy advocacy on a wide range of issues related to the interests NGOs represent.

The constitutions of Thailand and the Philippines recognize the role of NGOs. In South Korea, for the 2000 general elections, 900 NGOs came together to review the background of all candidates and blacklisted 86 for involvement in military coups, anti-democratic activities, corruption, tax evasion, draft dodging etc.

The campaign improved the quality of Korean politics by educating the public and influencing political parties to recruit clean candidates.

In order to be effective in such civic activities, NGOs need to be non- partisan and credible.

NGO leaders in some countries embraced “associative democracy” where NGO leaders took up leadership positions in governments with promises of good governance and reforms.

Lula da Silva from the Workers Party became president of Brazil and Evo Morales president of Bolivia, was leader of the Indigenous peoples movement and cocoa growers association.

Malaysian civil society is not a force yet to influence a political reform agenda. Remaining non-partisan is a necessary imperative to build people power.

The criticism of Selangor MB Khalid Ibrahim’s lawyers by NGOs may be viewed as partisan and has actually opened the floodgates for insensitive comments on Edmund Bon and even his family.

In the battlefield of Malaysian politics, NGOs have yet to be recognized as powerful players in determining who has the right to rule. Malaysian NGOs have to be strategic and use their sources of power judiciously.

In remaining non- partisan, NGOs strengthen their legitimacy.

Only non-partisan civil society or NGOS can make a difference and create a level playing field for competitive politics in Malaysia.




JOSIE FERNANDEZ is an Asian Public Intellectual Fellow

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