Home » Opinion » Press Notes
Openness will ease suspicion
By People's Daily |
August 29, 2012, Wednesday
|
Print Edition
Print Edition
IT is reported that a netizen who goes by the alias Xiamenlang had put questions to an urban management squad in Guangzhou City, Guangdong Province, for 45 consecutive days about an overseas study tour. He hasn't received a reply.
Meanwhile, earlier this month in Chongqing, police insisted that they had shot dead Zhou Kehua, the fearsome serial killer.
However, many members of the public believe the slain gunman was someone else and that Zhou is still at large.
These two unrelated events have something in common: They reveal the depths of public mistrust of government authorities, a result of their perennial affronts to public queries for information.
To their credit, many local governments now interact more often with the public. But a good reputation achieved through 100 sincere and prompt replies can be undone by a single snub.
Many Chinese officials are still awkward in handling scrutiny, reflected in following ways:
First, vigilantes who never turn off the heat on officials are cursed as "pariahs," who merit such replies as "do I have to tell you if I need a bathroom break?"
Second, some officials complain they cannot focus on work if society distracts them daily with demands on publicizing budgets and expenses and evaluating work performances.
Third, they reckon that one concession in the face of scrutiny will lead to more in the future - and make life harder for them.
Officials understand these excuses are not justifiable, so they opt for stonewalling. But this tactic won't work in the long run.
Only through candidly, patiently and proactively communicating with the public can they hope to be pestered less by a suspicious society.
Meanwhile, earlier this month in Chongqing, police insisted that they had shot dead Zhou Kehua, the fearsome serial killer.
However, many members of the public believe the slain gunman was someone else and that Zhou is still at large.
These two unrelated events have something in common: They reveal the depths of public mistrust of government authorities, a result of their perennial affronts to public queries for information.
To their credit, many local governments now interact more often with the public. But a good reputation achieved through 100 sincere and prompt replies can be undone by a single snub.
Many Chinese officials are still awkward in handling scrutiny, reflected in following ways:
First, vigilantes who never turn off the heat on officials are cursed as "pariahs," who merit such replies as "do I have to tell you if I need a bathroom break?"
Second, some officials complain they cannot focus on work if society distracts them daily with demands on publicizing budgets and expenses and evaluating work performances.
Third, they reckon that one concession in the face of scrutiny will lead to more in the future - and make life harder for them.
Officials understand these excuses are not justifiable, so they opt for stonewalling. But this tactic won't work in the long run.
Only through candidly, patiently and proactively communicating with the public can they hope to be pestered less by a suspicious society.
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