elections – Page 3 – the _

[1532] Of might as well reintroduce local elections

In The Star today:

KUANTAN: Public opinion rather than the Government’s evaluation will matter when improving the star-rating system to measure the performance and efficiency of local authorities, particularly their delivery system.

Housing and Local Government Ministry secretary-general Datuk Ahmad Fuad Ismail said it was better to get popular views other than the evaluation done by a special team.

“After doing a similar exercise involving government departments, we thought it would be better to get public opinion .

“We do not want a situation where the public question us for giving a five-star rating to a certain local authority when they feel that it does not deserve it,” he said after attending a meeting between the Chief Secretary to the Government Tan Sri Mohd Sidek Hassan and mayors and presidents of local authorities from Pahang, Terengganu and Kelantan here yesterday. [Public opinion to decide star rating. The Star. February 1 2008]

Do you not think local elections would do a better job at that? What better way to gauge public opinion than to have local elections?

[1307] Of lesson from Turkey

One of many lessons that could be learned from Turkey: take care of the economy and the economy will take care of you, perhaps, regardless of your leaning.

The breadth of Mr Erdogan’s success is best illustrated by the new political map: nearly all of Turkey’s 81 provinces, including seven mainly Kurdish ones, are painted in the AK party’s yellow hue. Female representation in parliament doubled with some 50 women winning seats—more than ever before. The party’s liberalising political reforms, which persuaded EU leaders to begin long-delayed membership talks with Turkey in 2005, played a part in the victory. But above all it was the government’s economic performance—7.3% average annual growth, record foreign investment and lower inflation—that won the day. [The burden of victory. The Economist. July 26 2007]