Ombudsman better system to solve rakyat’s grievances

PRIME Minister Tun Dr Mahathir Mohamad has announced the ministers for the key ministries needed to implement the policies of the new government to address the needs and expectations of the rakyat.

I believe the newly-appointed ministers need to be given reasonable time to put their respective houses in order before they get down to work after they are sworn into their posts.

The roles of ministers include giving new policy directions, instructions, new ideas and suggestions to their respective ministries to bring the nation forward.

Above all, it is essential for them to help the new government fulfil the pledges in their election manifesto.

All civil servants need to serve the people and the government of the day with full commitment, trust and integrity.

Ultimately, it is the civil servants who must deliver what is needed by the ministers to serve the rakyat and achieve the desired objective.

The Council of Eminent Persons has recently announced the formation of the Committee on Institutional Reforms to assist the newly-formed Pakatan Harapan government on economic and financial matters.

I agree with the council’s statement that without institutional reforms, economic reforms on their own would not bring meaningful change.

With the new government plac- ing emphasis on improving service delivery and fighting corruption, the time has come for the Public Complaints Bureau to be upgraded into an “ombudsman system” to address public grievances against any public authority.

As in Sweden or New Zealand, ombudsmen are government officials appointed to receive and investigate complaints made by individuals against abuses or capricious acts of public officials.

The word “ombudsman” is derived from the Swedish word meaning “grievance person” or “representative or agent of the people”. It is also referred in the Oxford Dictionary as the “people’s defender”, and he or she is appointed to safeguard citizens against abuse or misuse of administrative power by the executive.

The ombudsman is the citizen’s friend and protector entrusted to enquire personally into alleged wrongs inflicted on the man-in-thestreet by any public authority.

In the early 1970s, Malaysia had wanted to consider such a system and had in fact studied the New Zealand ombudsman model. However, the idea was shelved and the Public Complaints Bureau was set up instead.

We are now more open to such a concept with the Ombudsman for Financial Services having already started on Oct 1, 2016.

Bank Negara Malaysia had given its approval for the new body under the Financial Services Act 2013 and Islamic Financial Services Act 2013.

As an independent redress mechanism for financial consumers, it is expected to provide a fair and efficient avenue for consumers to resolve disputes against financial service providers.

It is time for us to revisit the idea of setting up the ombudsman system which would be more effective in dealing with the complaints of aggrieved citizens.

Under the system, the ombudsmen could either be appointed by the government or Parliament.

This system could bring about institutional reforms which should make all our government institutions truly independent and professional.

Many quarters have complained about the shortcomings of our public institutions, including the Election Commission, police and the Malaysian Anti-Corruption Commission apart from the ministries and their agencies.

Under the new administration, more efforts should be made to reduce bureaucratic red tape and improve administrative efficiency in all government departments and agencies.

In this connection, the setting up of an ombudsman system would be a step in the right direction.

The Malaysian public are more conscious of their rights and expect better performance from civil servants.

Hence, the time has come for all departments, agencies and public authorities to strive for zero complaints in efforts to upgrade efficiency and promote excellence.