National Assembly Member Suresh Ale Magar Takes Aim at Government, Says Leadership and Direction Matter More Than Speed

Dragon Media Correspondent

National Assembly member Suresh Ale Magar has compared the government led by Balendra Shah to an “express vehicle,” arguing that moving quickly is not enough and that the capability, experience and direction of its leadership are equally important.

Speaking at a National Assembly meeting on Wednesday, Ale Magar said the government is often portrayed as moving ahead like an express vehicle, but the more important question is what kind of driver is at the wheel.

Referring to a familiar road-safety message, he said excessive speed can increase the risk of an accident. A fast-moving vehicle can be effective if driven by a capable and responsible driver, he argued, but poor or unstable leadership can create serious consequences.

Using a satirical analogy, Ale Magar said that if a driver were under the influence of intoxicating substances, there would be no certainty where the vehicle might crash or whom it might harm. His remarks were intended to underline the need for experience, judgment and responsibility in government leadership.

He said it is wrong to assume that everything new is automatically correct and everything old is necessarily wrong. While new ideas and change should be accepted, he argued, past experience should not be discarded simply in the name of novelty.

Ale Magar also criticized what he described as a lack of sufficient experience in the current government and its leadership. He said inexperience should not be accompanied by arrogance or unilateral decision-making, and urged the government to learn from the advice of experienced generations and from previous governing practices.

Referring to the government’s decision to reverse course on some taxation measures related to education and health, he argued that although the government presents itself as moving forward rapidly, it has had to reconsider some of its earlier positions.

Ale Magar also defended Nepal’s federal system. He said federalism remains suitable for addressing the country’s ethnic, social and geographical diversity after a long period under a unitary system.

Rejecting claims that federalism could lead to national fragmentation, he cited countries such as Switzerland and the United States as examples of functioning federal systems. He said the argument that federalism would divide Nepal was misleading.

Ale Magar concluded by urging the government to focus not only on speed, but also on leadership capacity, experience, responsibility and a clear sense of direction.