How long will we be focused only on external appearances, totally forgetting content? Our government officials have talked for long about an institutional state, but all this talk has been to no avail. They believe their fantasies and live in their own world.
Citizens and residents alike suffer due to favouritism and bureaucracy whenever they need government services. When citizens need to get any official paperwork done, the first question that comes to their mind is: “Do we know anybody who can complete the long bureaucratic procedures for us? Who do I know there, a brother, a cousin or a friend or relative?”
Is there any point in complicating things and wasting people’s time? Do we really believe that progress can be achieved only in the field of construction? Do we believe that progress is only about travelling around the world in transport we know nothing about except how to board?
The answer is “no”, of course. Civilisation is first and foremost about attitude, order and morals. Did the state fall short of providing the necessary infrastructure for itself, its citizens and its residents? The fact is that the state did not. On the contrary, it gives citizens and residents the most luxurious offices, elegant buildings and comfortable environments. It provides them with convenient work hours, vacations, holidays and everything they could hope for in addition to lucrative salaries. As it does all this, the state hopes citizens and residents will reciprocate with productivity.
Despite this, things continue to go from bad to worse here. Nepotism and favouritism always come to one’s mind when dealing with the government. Is this what our government officials mean by the state of institutions?
Why is favouritism always our first option, not the last? The answer can be that we have no order here. Things are far from being organised. Government officials have many interests. Some of these interests are important. The vast majority of them, however, are unimportant. Few of these officials care about public interest.
Our officials and civil servants must reconsider their attitudes. Strict supervision must be applied. Clear rules for completion of transactions must be implemented. Punishments and rewards must be enforced.
Our great Islamic religion teaches us that it is demeaning of man to want anything from another man. The same religion teaches us that man’s need for God’s help is constant. Even with this, we keep imploring civil servants to give us answers. What else can the state do? The state has already done its duty. This makes it necessary for our government officials and civil servants to be more sincere and honest in doing their work. If they do this, things will get back to the right track.
