KUCHING: Public rights are outcomes of clear policies and laws, says Kota Sentosa assemblyman Wilfred Yap.
He said discussions about rights must be grounded in how governments design and implement policies, as these frameworks determine what the public is entitled to receive.
“If you don’t have good policies and good laws, you have no rights.
“You cannot talk about rights at the end without looking at the beginning, which is the policy and the law,” he said during the Kota Sentosa Media Appreciation Night, last night (Dec 28).
Yap said governance begins at the policy stage, where laws and regulations establish both the scope of public benefits and the responsibilities of implementing agencies.
Using Sarawak’s free tertiary education as an example, he said such assistance exists because the policy has been implemented.
“If you apply, comply with the requirements and still don’t get it, then I can fight for your rights because the policy is already there,” he said, referring to the role of elected representatives in addressing delivery issues.
He added issues faced by the public are often linked to how policies are implemented rather than the policies themselves.
“If there is anything wrong, it is not about the policy but the administering of the policy and the delivery,” he said.
