ammonnews.net

BY Ahmad Y. Majdoubeh

For some time now, there has been in the country mounting energy targeting change or reform.

Previously, we used to complain of apathy by people regarding societal, political, economic and other matters.

At present, things have remarkably changed. With the massive spread of media outlets, including social media, almost all people are not only interested and engaged in what goes on, but are very vocal about it.

They all hold views and express such views forcefully, on almost all issues: health, education, religion, transportation, technology, tourism, the economy, democracy, political representation and all other spheres which touch upon their lives.

In principle, this is not only a positive development, but an immensely welcome one. Involved people create the necessary energy for reform or change. When people push for things to happen politicians respond.

Otherwise, politicians may either be aloof to what goes on or take care only of their own narrow interests and those of their connections.

So why is reform or change not happening, one may ask?

The answer is that such energy, necessary as it is, is not channelled in an orderly fashion in the right direction.

People voice their opinions and speak out, but there is no adequate response from either their representatives in the parliament or from the government.

And if there is a response, it is either fragmentary or highly uncoordinated and inefficient.

This is unhealthy and can be problematic, as we have seen in many recent and old incidents.

In the absence of proper political action, people’s energies become conflicted, disorderly, chaotic, and eventually wasted or subversive.

In the absence of proper political action, people’s emotions run high, leading to anger, frustration, and unpredicted results.

It is exactly like heavy rainwater when it is not channelled into canals, rivers, dams or oases. It amounts to a flood.

And this is what we are experiencing in the country and in those in our part of the world, the so-called developing world.

The various parliaments, and the various governments have not lived up to the challenge. The result is a lot of emotions without regulation, words without action, and ideas without executive plans.

Something must be done to capitalise on such energies, before they either go to waste or become harmful.

His Majesty King Abdullah II’s decision to form a 92-member committee entrusted with coming up with a reform plan is a timely one indeed, and hopes are pinned on such committee to live up to the challenge and draw up the plan that is needed, capitalising on people’s ideas and energies.

It is also hoped that the plan will go beyond the political dimension, since the reform or change people are hoping for and feel strongly about encompasses sectors other than the political.

Time indeed to harvest such abundant energy the way water or wind energies are harvested in countries that have done a great job at it.