Public Complaints Bureau to be replaced with ombudsman

PUTRAJAYA: The Public Complaints Bureau will be known as Ombudsman Malaysia, Prime Minister Tun Dr Mahathir Mohamad said yesterday.

For this purpose, he said, an Ombudsman Act would be drafted to ensure a more effective management of public complaints in Malaysia.

“Ombudsman Malaysia will not be put under the Prime Minister’s Office or any ministry.

“It is free to act (as it sees fit),” he said after chairing the Special Cabinet Committee on Anti-Corruption meeting.

Present were Finance Minister Lim Guan Eng, Minister in the Prime Minister’s Department (judicial affairs) Datuk Liew Vui Keong and National Centre for Governance, Integrity and AntiCorruption (GIACC) directorgeneral Tan Sri Abu Kassim Mohamed.

Dr Mahathir expressed hope that the government could find qualified people to be in Ombudsman Malaysia.

“We will try to find people who have impeccable integrity,” he said.

At the meeting, Dr Mahathir said it had agreed to strengthen the Enforcement Agency Integrity Commission (EAIC) by turning it into Independent Police Complaints and Misconduct Commission (IPCMC).

“IPCMC will act as an independent monitoring body that is more holistic.

“Transfers and changes will happen in EAIC as it moves towards becoming IPCMC.”

He said the Malaysia Integrity Institute would be placed under GIACC, which will function as an operational body to build government agencies’ capacity and competency.

“The National Integrity and Good Governance Department will be absorbed into GIACC.

“Discussions will be held with the Public Service Department to take into account the aspect of savings for the government.”