Sarawak integrity and ombudsman unit to improve public admin

The Sarawak Integrity And Ombudsman Unit will oversee, investigate, and resolve matters concerning maladministration, bureaucracy, and red tape in the public sector.

The unit, under the Sarawak Chief Minister’s Office, was given the mandate to become the central body responsible for those duties.

Chief Minister Abang Johari Openg said this was to promote good governance, accountability, and transparency through the oversight of government administration and service delivery.

Stressing that their job was not only to handle complaints, he said the unit was rightfully deemed to be the leader in building better public administration and bridging the gap between the public and the government.

“Hence, I instruct that all ministries/agencies give their fullest support and cooperation to provide detailed information as required by the unit,” he said.

A text of his speech was read out by Deputy Chief Minister Amar Douglas Uggah Embas at the Majlis Amanat Perdana Integriti 2022 in Sibu today.

Abang Johari said he monitored closely how the unit undertook its role as the executive ombudsman since its establishment in 2018.

He was pleased with the efforts and proactive actions taken, in particular the functions of an ombudsman.

The chief minister also wanted the civil service to give their total commitment to ensure that Sarawak is able to achieve what it planned and set out to do and get its economy back on track.

He said the civil service needs to review its processes and procedures in order for its services to become “more rakyat-centric” and “more business-friendly”, without compromising on compliance with rules and regulations.

“We need to do away with unnecessary bureaucracy and red tape.

“It is of utmost importance that we have to fulfil and deliver our election manifesto promises to the rakyat, hence our civil service must be people-oriented,” he said.

On project procurement, he said the implementing agencies must undertake a proper evaluation of tender to accept the best tender and should understand that a failed project would be a great loss to the rakyat who had expected the government to deliver the project.

“I am utterly serious about this matter, which is why I keep on repeating the same issue.

“I appeal that all agencies adhere to my directive that projects be implemented timely, economically, and successfully based on proper processes and procedures,” he said.

Abang Johari said in fulfilling the National Anti-Corruption Plan (NACP), 67 state agencies have completed their Organisation Anti-Corruption Plan (OACP) while the others were still developing it.

He also said that Sarawak, which has 90 Certified Integrity Officers (CEIO) at the moment, will continue its cooperation with the Malaysian Anti-Corruption Academy in producing more of the officers with the next series of the programme to be started in May this year.

- Bernama