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Basic needs such as food are no longer a problem in Malaysia today.

However, there are still a host of other problems that have plagued the people in general, namely: crime, corruption, public transport, education, poverty and infrastructure.

For instance, we need to keep an eye on snatch thieves who would grab our belongings or car from behind when we step out out of the house in the morning.

But that is not the worst, for we could get stabbed or dragged a few metres on the floor!

Even if we could be spared from snatch thieves, we definitely could not be delivered from the perpetual traffic jams and omnipresent tolls.

Living expenses are increasingly higher; so are corruption costs. Nevertheless, our education quality has yet to see any improvement and the nation's overall competitiveness is fast lagging behind.

When we get home at night, we cannot afford to forget to lock ourselves securely from the outside world just to get a peaceful sleep.

This is the painful reality in the day-to-day life of Malaysians.

With no regards to race and religion, these six woes--crime, corruption, public transport, education, poverty and infrastructure--befall each and every Malaysian.

This is truly fair, painfully fair!

We have hundreds of reasons to explain these woes, but how to go about exploring them will bring us back to the same place, which is the government's management efficiency.

If we were to ask anyone what makes the public most unhappy with the government, these six woes must definitely not be counted out.

Prime Minister Datuk Seri Najib Tun Razak has identified these six areas as the national key results areas (NKRA), and has mapped out the benchmarks for each of these six areas under six lead ministers.

Perhaps Malaysians would take delight in the fact that the government has finally seen our problems. But then deep inside them, they are questioning, "How are you going to do it?"

In crime prevention, battling corruption, improving public transportation, elevating the standard of education, eradication of poverty and expanding the infrastructure, we have simply said too much but done so pathetically little.

What Malaysians want to see is how we are going to address the issues and improve the life of everyone.

The key lies in the sincerity of the government's policy-making and enforcement.

To get the desired results, it is imperative that we fix the national institutions responsible for the enforcement of government policies.

For instance, if we don't revamp the MACC, how are we going to effectively battle corruption? And is the Royal Malaysian Police ready in thumping crime? Can we boost the discipline and quality of our police force without the IPCMC?

National policies and government institutions are Siamese twins; and without one complementing the other, everything would be in vain.

Of course, there is still something Malaysians can always look forward to.

Not only must the six NKRA be evaluated from time to time, the results must also be unreservedly displayed before public eyes.

One more thing. Why not lump anti-racism inside the NKRA to make it seven? (By TAY TIAN YAN/Translated by DOMINIC LOH/Sin Chew Daily)
MySinchew 2009.07.28