Institute to be established to review policies effectiveness

KUALA LUMPUR: The government will establish a Socio-Economic Research Institute or SERI under the Prime Minister’s Department to review and evaluate the effectiveness of policies, and implementation of programmes and development projects.

Prime Minister Datuk Seri Najib Tun Razak said besides that, UKM Institute of Ethnic Studies (KITA-UKM) would be upgraded as a national institution to coordinate studies on national socioeconomic education and establish the national social development index.

“As an analogy, if the Economic Planning Unit (EPU) plays a role as the brain in formulating economic policies, while the Implementation and Coordination Unit (ICU) as the hands and legs in monitoring projects, KITA and SERI will function as the soul or the heart.

“It covers the aspects of spiritual, moral values and high cultured programmes to build the identity of the National Transformation 2050 generation in addressing social problems,” he said when tabling the 2018 Budget at the Dewan Rakyat yesterday.

He said, an appropriate allocation would be provided by the government for both institutions.

He added, the government always appreciated the role of nongovernment organisations (NGO) and would continue to cooperate with them in addressing social challenges.