In this time where the Covid19 pandemic has hit the globe, numerous conversations have been held on how Governments need to respond. However, this article will touch more on individual Ministries / Departments / Agencies [MDAs] (which are not health related) and what they can do in this new reality.

It is important to note that there are actually two competing and complementary objectives in this crisis for Governments:

1. Making sure citizens’ lives are protected; and
2. Minimise the impact to the country’s economy

Why the economy and why minimise? Because you will see the economy hurting before it gets better and you need to ensure that at the end, you still have an economy to return to. Governments need to secure their citizen’s lives as well as their livelihoods to move forward.

So, consider the following.

Bill Gates estimates that a vaccine for Covid19 will only be available by Sept 2021. We can only really expect to go back to the old normal when this vaccine is not just developed, but also distributed to majority countries. So, if you really think about it, the best case scenario will be Q1 of 2022.

What does this mean? It means that governments need to figure out how to manage this virus even beyond the lockdown technique to form a NEW normal for their citizens until a vaccine is found. So, what should individual Ministries / Departments / Agencies (MDAs) do? I recommend:

A. Conduct a mapping of your stakeholders and assess how they are impacted in the current crisis.

This is to better understand who you actually should be listening to and consulting with.

B. Conduct an assessment of your budget and understand what resources you have available and when you have it.

This is important. Most people don’t realise that the budgets of MDAs are set the year prior and, in most cases, disbursed in stages. This makes it hard for these entities to be agile.

For example:

1. Tanzania disburses their budget to ministries on a quarterly basis depending on income tax revenue.

2. The Malaysian government’s budget is also based on a collection of revenue which is primarily based on oil revenue. With oil prices now being USD20+ per barrel and the budget being based on USD50+ per barrel, there will be a shortfall.

C. Determine two sets of activities, one during the lockdown/MCO and one for after until a vaccine is found.

You will need to re-prioritise your planned activities; anything that was planned prior to March 2020 is probably out the window already.

This needs to be done in line with the stakeholder mapping and resource analysis.

Consider how to naturally flow between the two set activities. Keeping in mind your mandate and future trends, look for opportunities in this time. See the general opportunities I have listed down below.

In any activity planned, consider:

1. How it will impact the stakeholders targeted;
2. The staff execution & how they would feel & perceive it;
3. The resources to mobilise and how;
4. The instructions to staff, customers / stakeholders.
5. Once you have all this, take a step back and ask, “is there any way to make it easier to be implemented?”
6. If operating in the MCO/lockdown period, what are the safety measures, and how have you kept your staff and stakeholders safe?

Showing compassion in these times is important, especially at the leadership level.

Don’t work in silo. Discuss with your other ministries, especially the Ministry of Health.

D.      To achieve items 1 to 3, set up a special response team.

Don’t make it too big. Break them into sub-committees if needed:

1. Strategy & Planning;
2. Implementation;
3. Communications.

Set timelines and deliverables for them to come back to the Management. Make sure it’s not just another talk shop session.

Yes, there is tragedy in these times of crisis, but it is also where the smarter and agile MDAs can push for opportunities and realign themselves. Some general opportunities to consider:

1. A consolidated database: Most MDAs would have issues with understanding the informal sector of their stakeholders (the unrecorded ones). Here, people are actively coming to you for support. How do you record this for future activities?

2. Digitalisation: Everyone has been talking about digital transformation for years. This is the time. Figure out which services can be digitised and get people to understand how to apply. Look at internal processes. Can we move to a more digitised way of working?

3. Technology adoption & upskilling: Like digitalisation, how can we encourage technology adoption & upskilling among internal staff and our targeted stakeholders? An example that comes to mind: Can the PRIHATIN loan terms include a term that states 20% of the loan must be used for upskilling or technology adoption?

4. Resource optimisation: In this time, due to the nature of MDAs, there are some resources that are idle. Consider how to redistribute them so that they can contribute. E.g. Can the Ministry of Higher Education consider how to set up academicians to start thinking of a post-lockdown initiative research? Can law lecturers start developing FAQs for labour law “Dos and Don’ts” in this period? Can engineering lecturers build testing kits?

5. Environment sustainability: All around the globe, the green agenda is now at the forefront, and with the Covid19 crisis, we are seeing nature heal itself because people are locked down. Is there anything we can do to maintain this or push it further?

6. Gain public trust and confidence back to government: This is the time. By showing real leadership and initiative, Principal Secretaries/Director Generals/CEOs and Ministers are in the best position to gain public trust and confidence from their stakeholders. The initiatives and engagement done will be key to achieving this.

Note: There are also MDA-specific opportunities, but these are the ones that I feel cut across most MDAs.

These are just some basic ideas to consider. I welcome any feedback or discussion on these items. Please feel free to reach out for to have any discussion if you are working in any of these entities. I am happy to help out pro bono; I’m even thinking of doing some writing of these actions for specific ministries. Getting us past this crisis is not just the responsibility of the Government but us citizens as well. Let’s all do our part. #KitaJagaKita