MYANMAR
By Daw Htay Htay Win*
Myanmar Times-Apr 4
We have all heard the saying “time and tide wait for no man”. Now I am just reflecting on the political timing and the tidal wave of transition that have led to Myanmar’s current situation. Since November 2015, when we all were at the peak of ecstasy over the election results, a heavy concern has been growing over how the elected party would form a government that could live up to the people’s expectations on the economy, education and healthcare.
Just as in a rowing competition, where all the team members need to possess equal strength and put in equal amounts of effort to row the boat rhythmically to the drum beat of the leader, the present government and its working committees should be formed with those who, if not equally qualified as the leader, have at least a minimum level of managerial skills and strategic qualities to make the country leap above its former status as a pariah state.
What struck us to our dismay after the announcement of the government was that it partly consisted of the wrong people in the wrong place from the people’s perspective. It seemed that these higher-echelon appointments were based on trust and loyalty rather than on the merits of the appointees, although they may have a certain degree of integrity.
The consequences of these mismatches resulted in economic instability, a basic education system failing to meet improvement targets, a stalemate in the peace process, etc. There were suggestions that some of these inefficient people be replaced with smarter ones, but the ruling party continues to say it is not time yet.
Another part of the population forgotten by the government are the young graduates who attended universities in developed countries and middle-aged, educated people who came back to the motherland to work on their own or seek opportunities to contribute to the country via the public sector. The country’s massive bureaucracy has been mucky with inefficient, old-fashioned civil servants for decades, due to the country’s isolation and outdated thinking. The academic diplomas or degrees of these old-timers may be credible, but it is questionable whether they have had the chance to fully apply their qualifications under the military regime, or whether their knowledge is still applicable in the modern world. The young foreign-trained graduates may not make up a large part of the country, but they undoubtedly possess a huge amount of information and resources acquired from their experiences in developed countries. They can be integrated into some worthy posts to work with those already in office, sharing new ideas, modern thinking, and knowledge with their colleagues.
We often come across such notions as, “Don’t try to seek a position, but take on responsibility from where you are,” or “Do whatever you can do in building the country, such as contributing a brick or a grain of sand.” I disagree. It would be unreasonable to expect one to exercise one’s responsibilities if not provided with a decent place to carry out the task. It is undermining these worthy young people to treat them the same as a brick or a grain of sand, when, in fact, they are a precious gem. Those returning from foreign universities are seen as just working for some crony companies or working on their own, with a very slim chance to effectively contribute to re-building the nation because of the rigid recruiting system of the public service. Thus this vibrant source of skills and talent is wasted.
Traditionally, Myanmar people have a high regard for their elders, but this is only virtuous within our cultural norms. Old perceptions such as “young people don’t know as much as we do” are still dominant in Myanmar society, showing less confidence in the fresh ideas and perspectives of youth. Elderly people should embrace active and educated young people who have been trained in analytical thinking and see things from a different angle, with innovative ideas and new concepts, even though they may seem revolutionary to the older generation. Our history has a very good example in General Aung San, who, while being the youngest member of the government in 1946-47, was supported by his elderly and learned colleagues.
People may be too demanding of the new government, but they are also eager to see tangible results. It is a bitter truth that the country was crushed under the military boot for five decades and that a total change cannot be made in just two years. With a powerful new engine, the steep uphill climb can be completed in just a few moments.
Patience has limits for those who have endured hardships for so long and had such high hopes for change: it has become a question of now or never. A party with a political high tide should consider how to make the best use of it to surf their way through the waves. Time and tide wait for no one.
*Daw Htay Htay Win had a 30-year career in the diplomatic world in Yangon, until her early retirement in 2013, as press officer at the Singaporean embassy, liaison officer at the French embassy, and as a member of the first staff at the Canadian embassy. Her exceptional service to French diplomacy helped establish and strengthen ties between France and Myanmar throughout the military junta years.
(First published in Myanmar Times – https://www.mmtimes.com/news/nld-needs-bring-new-blood.html)
