OPINION> Commentary
Public opinion matters
(China Daily)
Updated: 2009-01-06 07:40

Well-informed judgment and decisions are important for good governance.

Decision-makers therefore need to keep themselves informed of social conditions and public opinion. And the best way to do so is by having smooth communication between governments and the general public.

But what if more than 90 percent of the general public can hardly have their voices heard by decision-makers?

What if only 3.2 percent of those who made calls or wrote letters to governments got any feedback?

This is what a latest survey has found. The survey, jointly conducted by People's Daily and its subsidiary Internet portal, was published online yesterday.

Of the more than 7,000 respondents, as many as 40 percent have the experience of being referred to between different departments for the problems they reported. More than half find it difficult to reach governments through hotlines and never get an answer to their letters. What is even worse is that more than 60 percent of the surveyed do not have any idea about how to put their opinions or problems through to related government departments or leaders.

This survey is a reminder that something must be done to keep the communication channel open and smooth. With such convenient communication means as mobile phones and Internet in particular in wide use, two-way communications between government leaders and the general public should not be difficult.

It is all a matter of attitude and work style. If a government leader wants to know about public opinion, nothing should prevent him or her from knowing the truth.

Even in ancient times when communication means were rare and underdeveloped, honest and clean government officials would travel incognito in order to get a real picture of social conditions and public opinion.

When most governments at almost all levels have their own websites now, there is no reason why channels of communication with citizens should not be smooth.

A government that fails to pay enough attention to public opinion will undoubtedly become increasingly unpopular with the general public.

A lack of communication and due attention from government decision-makers to local residents' concerns proved to be the root cause of unrest in Guizhou and Yunnan provinces last year.

It is high time governments at all levels realized the importance of public opinion in making informed decisions.

(China Daily 01/06/2009 page8)