Economy Instrument

Being green is profitable has been the quote for everyone in dealing with the environment movement. We always ask people to embrace green as it is not that difficult and troublesome, and at the same time you can either save your pocket or making some profit. However, except for those who are passionate enough about environmental conservation, not many will actually able to change their life style or daily routine or even working style to capitalise on the doing good things. This voluntary instrument method is simply not suit to the ordinary people or for a society which has not inculcated the value system on environmental conservation as their culture and way of life.

Then, how about legal instrument? Getting people to have no choice, but comply with the requirement. Is this going to work? Perhaps yes if people have no choice and importantly it will affect their livelihood or balance sheet of the company. For example, the furniture manufacturers have to obtain certificate of sustainable forestry for their material or else the products are not allowed into European Countries. Similarly, the developers are required to comply with the conditions set or else their project would not be approved or intensity of development will be reduced. Presumably this will only work if the enforcement system is in place and people have no choice but to do it. What happen if this is not a dead or life issue but merely a collective responsibility of doing it for the sake of community and Earth at large? How about give a choice to people by applying the polluter pay or user pay principle? You pay more on what you consume or doing bad on the environment. For example, by using more electricity or water, you have to pay higher tariff.

Most countries will opt for economic instrument as a complimentary measure to both the above. While voluntary instrument is too soft a way and will only work in longer term after the whole society has inbuilt with the culture, legal instrument is too harsh and will only effective with stringent enforcement. Economy instrument will provide a choice to people. People can choose to do it for some incentives return. This instrument is popular as people is given a choice to do good. Of course, at the same time you will have to pay more by not doing it. This is especially worked well at the infant stage of a programme in which more encouragement and promotion is required.

Hence, the proposal by Petaling Jaya City Council providing assessment rebate to the people embracing green is great. Similarly, the rebate by Ministry of Energy, Green Technology and Water for buying energy efficiency air-con, fridge and chillers is equally encouraging.

Green Developer

I met with Sam Tan, a young developer whom is passionate about green building and sustainable environment recently. The way he conveyed to me about greenies things that he aspired, and in fact has done give me more hope on our next generation of urban development. While our country targeted to reduce 40% carbon emission by 2020, not all sectors have gone into exploring the strategies and actions to realise the target. Many have on their own initiative trying to put green here and there without an overview of how to do it strategically. Sam demonstrated to me how an existing building has been transformed into a green building with accreditation. At the same time, how a township development was accreditated. Sam shared with me his idea of renovating a building currently used as an orphanage home in PJ. What amazing the most is he managed to influence and bring on board other young developers. Presumbly, I am impressed with what presented to me and change my little perception towards developers.

The bigger challenge of course is still go back to the bottom line of dollars and cents. No point of talking about going green if you cannot make a profit. Worst still making a loss. So, the question is how to be motivated for going green? Either getting the feel good sense or the economic incentive. Some said, at the initial stage we might wish to offer incentive for people going green simply because nobody has started it and the purchasers have not made a request for it. Sam, however has a different idea of getting it done first and offered an option for the purchasers. The sale of development project and value appreciation on his properties shown that he has made a right choice and create a nieche market and branding for himself. Being environmental friendly is still profitable is being tested now. The success story of company that Sam represented justified this call.

Own Destiny

Somebody told me that we have to always on our toe so that we don't finish ourselves, but can be worse if someone else trying finishing us. This message is timely and serve as a reminder for those in the comfort zone of their career or those who are complacent in their working life. More than often we encountering people without any sparkle in their daily routine. Unless they are inspired and motivated to seek for higher and greener pasture or else they will stand still until embarking into new field, either by default or by force. It is only matter of dead of life that can make these people up and running again.

Personally, it is better for any individual to decide his or her own destiny. We should be in control on what we want and aspire to go or do. Then only we will acquire the sense of ownership on what we decided. Thereby, finishing own career or action with own want or desire will not be so hurt than somenoe come and decide for you what your next destiny is.

Having said this, it is very difficult to make changes for those working in the public sector especially with the knowledge that you current position is the last destiny in your career. A change might have to involve changes to other committment and obligation as well. However, at time perhaps we need to change to other path in making a more excited life path again. It is, however a difficult decision to make.

Corporate Inspiration

I attended a briefing on Mongolia recently. While knowing the potential and prospect of the Country is refreshing to me, the conductor of the session is equally amazing to me. He is so inspiring that everyone has no time to think twice on what he conveyed but followed the tune of his dance. I think it is a skill for born leader. It is a life experience sharing that awaken everybody up. I, myself revisit what I have done so far in my life and start thinking of where is my next destination.

Everybody talking about inspiration and trying to motivate others. It is not an easy task of selling your ideas and thoughts as well as convincing others what you have said and done is what they actually want. Many of the time we saw managers failed to bring their message across simply because of their own failure in convincing others. They have, either failed in their appearance, communication, preparation or even characteristics. At time you might sense that they are not even able to motivate they own self. If you cannot even motivate yourself, then how can you expect others to be motivated by you. The body language is simply cannot be hidden.

The conductor has demonstrated to us that keep talking and people believe on what you say, but provided that what you are talking about make sense, realistic and achievable. No point of talking something superficial and unattainable. Worst still talking something without any follow up actions. It is critical for action-oriented talking rather than talk first action later kind of approach. It is more convincing of showing somebody that action has been taken and in progress while talking is on going. In this respect, I have much admiration for the session conductor whom has not only done his home work on talking, but action taking.

The session also is an eye opener for me to witness how corporate is operating in the real world. The Corporate sector can be very cruel and performance-oriented. It is a world filled with $ sign and deliver or you go kind of approach. You are the king the moment you delivered, but the next moment you can be on your door out if you fail in mission given. Sympathy can be the last and least word in use. Having said this, it is hope too as many corporates are embarking on CSR initiative. An initiative that stakeholders will judge the responsiveness of the corporate towards society and environment.

I wish to attend more such session and applying many of the good measurement of private sector into the public and community sphere.

Measure vs Manage

Somebody says if you cannot measure something, then you would not be able to manage it. Is this true? Many involving in programmes planning and implementation will share the same sentiments. However, for those in the community development and voluntarisme movement especially for the action-oriented people, this requirement might be too demanding on them. I witnessed how community leaders plan and execute their projects without much details planning. I heard about them not too keen on submitting progress or outcome reports due to time constraint and bureaucratic requirement. Even some do not want to participate in the competition or nomination for awards because of the requirement to go through their records and to write paragraph of statement. So, for these people it is pointless of asking them to quantify what they have done.

Having said this, some will argue that without knowing the result achieved, how can we improve and move forward? I think this is major obstacle we are facing on the ground as many local community groups are short handed and obviously writing report and managing records are not their top priority. For them, showing result instantly is more critical. Thereby, capacity building and providing resources are important if we would like to see community development by the local groups blossom and sustain. The agencies and experts must help in strengthening the capacity of community groups in this aspect --- book keeping and quantification of result. I presume this explain why the calling for submission of PJ Sustainable Community Award met with cold shoulder so far. I was make to understand that only 10 nominations were received up now, a drop of half compared to last year.

Clean

The opposite of clean is dirty. You cannot have half clean or 50% dirty as it will become untenable and uneasy to many. Certainly no 2 ways about it. When we talk about how clean a place is, we cannot say it is acceptable based on lower standard set instead of trying to make comparison with places having higher standard. That's why I cannot understand when some people said our city environment is better off than those in rural based city rather than compared it to those in Singapore or Japan for example. It is matter of upholding our higher standard and take it as the base line for moving towards higher and better position. It is useless of benchmarking ourselves with cities not better than us and claimed that we are, at least much better than others.

Transforming Local Government

In preparing for the discussion on the proposal to restructure MBPJ Council, I did research on the organisational structure for some local council in other countries. What strike me the most is criteria for determining the organisational size and functions. One of them is transforming to be provider rather than remained as service producer. As pace of development in the local council area is getting more speedy, complicated and challenging, Local Authority shouldering the function of providing urban services alone is no more feasible and possible. Functions of local authority providing services on their own with limited resources and aging manpower is not the way forward. For example, it is difficult for aging labourers to perform duties that requiring hard work and energy. Hence, maintaining such manpower performing these services is no more relevant and cost efficiency. Apart from that, services requiring creativity and continue investment for technological updating and maintenance or having higher turn over for staff should also be given thorough thought for out sourcing. No point of keeping these services if it is more cost effectiveness of soliciting the services from external parties. These services include project design, design and publication of material, event management, maintenance of ICT system, equipments and application and others. The role of local authorities is becoming provider of service, not the real on the job service but to monitor the service performance and quality by the appointed private suppliers. Monitoring and ensuring service quality should be the order of the day.

If this is the case, then perhaps local authorities should discard non-core essential services and aim for right sizing of the Council.