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VIEW FROM THE
CHAIR
PARLIAMENTARY DEMOCRACY
AND FREEDOM
uncomplimentary comparisons between China’s economic expansion as a
I write this, “View from the Chair” having just returned from a closely fought
by-election in Sarawak which, despite all our efforts, we disappointingly lost one-party state and the western democracies apparent economic
stagnation.
narrowly. Such are the swings and roundabouts of parliamentary
Let me hasten to make clear that I am not suggesting that
democracy for it is a system where the people decide who they want to
parliamentary democracy is either dead or dying but it is at risk. It has
represent them through exercising their right to freely cast their vote. I
become increasingly plain to me that the attempts to
suspect that Rt Hon. Gordon Brown had similar
implant western democratic processes on under
feelings after losing another closely fought election.
developed or developing countries has proved to be and
Whilst making that comment I must even-handedly
is proving to be a counter-productive activity. One only
congratulate Rt Hon. David Cameron on his
has to look at the realities of the situation in Afghanistan
appointment as the new U.K. Prime Minister. I am sure
to support this contention. In part I support the view
he will soon find out that governing is considerabl
propounded by Randall Peeremboom who defends the
harder than opposing especially as he has to face, in
East Asian model where economic development
collaboration with his coalition partners, the pain of
naturally precedes democracy. In other words you cannot
managing his country’s public expenditure deficit
expect a replica of the western definition of parliamentar
The reader might at this point be wondering what
democracy and all its inherent systems and procedures if
this has to do with freedom and democracy so let me
half the people are struggling to survive.
hasten to answer my own question. In a parliamentary
If the principles and practice of parliamentary
democracy the Parliament or Legislature, i.e. those
democracy are to survive and prosper then we need to do
elected representatives of the people, usually have
Hon. Dato’ Seri Mohd. Shafi
more than try to export the concept of democracy as a
the residual power to limit, control or contain an
Apdal, MP
single transferable model. Instead we should promote the
executive’s freedom of action. Put another way this is
Chairperson of the CPA
fact that democracy is probably the only defence there is
the system of checks and balances that has
Executive Committee and
traditionally served to prevent tyranny and the erosion
Minister of Rural and Regional against tyranny and the rapacious greed of unelected
and self perpetuating autocracies or unelected political
of personal liberties by an over-powerful executive.
Development, Malaysia
dynasties. It is an unchallengeable fact that corruption is
However much any Prime Minister might like to have
endemic in most single-party authoritarian states. We
dictatorial powers to overcome what the executive
have to show that a parliamentary democracy has the
perceives as a critical problem; in a parliamentary
potential to secure the basic freedoms to own property,create wealth and
democracy he or she still has to; persuade, argue, cajole and “whip’ the
ensure personal liberty.
ruling party members to agree to the measures.
Contrary to popular belief there is no sustainable evidence to show that
However, there are some like Paul Collier, an Oxford professor,
who has asserted that in the absence of other desirables like the rule autocracies grow faster than democracies even allowing for China’s rapid
growth. At the same time we should recognize that democracies have to
of law democracy may actually limit a country’s progress. Humphrey
develop over time and some of the freedoms enjoyed by the more mature
Hawksley recently wrote a book entitled; Democracy Kills – What’s
democracies may take time to implant. For example, democracy as
So Good About the Vote? that questions the whole basis of
witnessed at Westminster has been developing for hundreds of years and
democratic political systems.
even now there is talk of the need for electoral reform. Democracy is not a
Furthermore, the American lobby group Freedom House maintains that
static or one-off model set in tablets of stone but a dynamic process that
liberty and human rights have declined globally over the past four years as
evolves and grows with the passage of time.
some regimes have become more authoritarian even in some states
Therefore, I suggest that in order to promote and defend parliamentary
perceived to be democracies. There are also some writers who have made
110 | The Parliamentarian | 2010: Issue Two
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VIEW FROM THE
CHAIR
democracy as a preferred system of government we would be better
advised to avoid trying to criticize one or another state for failing to live up to
all the manifestations of freedoms and liberty that democracy promotes.
Instead we are more likely to encourage democratic progress if we
simultaneously remove the barriers to wealth creation, support investment
and encourage the entrepreneurs. Proselytizing about democracy to under
developed and developing nations surely does not sit well all the while the
proselytizers continue to condone or turn-a-blind-eye to the situation
where trade barriers and other unfair trading practices are preventing
economic growth and inward investment. I think it is self evident that
people are far more likely to embrace democracy if it brings jobs, freedom
from poverty and the opportunity to succeed.
A Chinese electronics assembly factory; just one
industry which has been integral to China’s economic
expansion.
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