17 February
Trust, or ‘yone kyi’ in Burmese, is a key component in society. The word is a compound of ‘yone’ and ‘kyi’ and carries significant meaning. ‘Yone’ means believe, as believing in one another creates a clear state of mind, which is what ‘kyi’ implies. Trust enables us to perform tasks smoothly and together, while a loss of trust-building can lead to ruin.
During her visit to the villages of Kawtoung Township on 14 February, the State Counsellor said: “Our country’s development relies on there being trust built between the people who run the government and the citizens of the nation. If there is deep trust amongst us, then we will be successful. Otherwise it would be very difficult to accomplish anything.”
The State Counsellor, during her visits to the states and regions, regularly reminds those people who have taken up the duties of government to build trust with the public. Myanmar aims to establish a genuine federal Union, and this will require the diverse ethnic races residing in the country to build trust from their diversity. We must foster understanding, mutual respect and trust between us all.
Likewise, not long ago, during her trip to Shan State, the State Counsellor urged the state cabinet to maintain close communication channels with the public, to regularly interact with the people, and to personally set out in resolving issues and implementing necessary procedures. She said authorities at the state and township levels both need to hold transparent discussions with the people to gain a better grasp on their wants and needs. She strongly advised against making false promises, in a bid to provide short-term remedies.
At the other end of the spectrum, the public also needs to understand the limitations of government departments and the current challenges they are facing. Understanding engenders trust and trust builds up understanding. It is almost impossible to build trust without understanding, and a lack of understanding from both sides surely cannot lead to trust. This is why it is important to establish and maintain close and transparent communications with the people.
The incumbent government is civilian, in nature, and we can see their people-oriented approach to governing the nation. We urge government and civilians alike to foster understanding and mutual respect towards each other, as we tread onwards in developing Myanmar.
GNLM
