Improving governance at all levels among four priority areas: 11MP Review

KUALA LUMPUR: The government is to focus on four priority areas, including improving governance at all levels, in its effort towards greater transparency and enhancing the efficiency of the public service.
According to the Mid-Term Review of the 11th Malaysia Plan (11MP) 2016-2020 released by the Economic Affairs Ministry, other areas include elevating integrity and accountability, enforcing prudent public finance management and enhancing public service delivery.
In improving governance at all levels, the Parliamentary Services Act 1963, which was repealed in 1992, will be reintroduced with improvements in line with the current socio-political and economic environment, said the report.
Efforts will be undertaken to limit the term of office of the prime minister, chief ministers and mentris besar to two terms to curb possible power abuse and corruption, lower the minimum voting age to 18 years as well as introduce a legislation on political financing to safeguard against the power of incumbency.
To elevate integrity and accountability, the report said, institutions such as the Malaysian Anti-Corruption Commission (MACC) and Malaysian Institute of Integrity will be reformed to ensure that the agencies or bodies involved in the fight against corruption assume full responsibility, do not overlap and deliver effectively.
It said the MACC Act 2009 will also be reviewed to ensure wider coverage of the commission as well as developing an effective asset declaration system to ensure better asset declaration and to detect abuse among politicians.
According to the report, the government has outlined three strategies in enforcing prudent public finance management, including improving the budgeting system to enhance fiscal planning and enable public access to information, enhancing procurement management to maximise the value of public investment and strengthening performance management, monitoring and evaluation framework to leverage outcome-based approach.
In order to enhance public service delivery, the public service entry requirements will be revised to attract the best and suitable candidates, and the entry requirements will be strengthened to ensure those recruited are of high integrity and competency.
The report said the existing work arrangements will be improved for better work-life balance such as working from home, flexible working time and compressed working hours for certain types of job.
The government will be redesigning public services, including to reduce bureaucracy and integrity productivity improvements, expanding digitalisation agenda, innovating towards better quality services and reducing government role in non-core services.
The government will improve the accountability of local authorities, which will be done through various mechanisms such as town hall sessions, public hearings and the social media.
In order to strengthen service delivery by local authorities, the engagement between the federal, state and local authorities as well as the private sector will be intensified to ensure that national development projects are aligned and in accordance with local interests.
The local authorities' star rating system will also be continuously utilised as an assessment tool to evaluate the efficiency of local authority services, according to the report. — Bernama