Public consultation vital for policies, regulations: Miti deputy sec-gen

KUALA LUMPUR: Public consultation and approval are vital to gather political support for policies and regulations, said Ministry of International Trade and Industry (Miti) deputy secretary-general Datuk Norazman Ayob.

He said the days of “the government knows best” are gone and public consultation, if done right, is pivotal for political legitimacy.

“While engagement and explanations are common features of public consultations, clarifying expectations defines the success and the effectiveness of the whole consultation process.

“The desired outcome of public consultations should ultimately be managing and meeting the expectations of both government and society,” Norazman said during the launch of the two-day “Apec Peer Review on Public Consultation Initiatives” workshop yesterday.

Malaysia Productivity Corporation director-general Datuk Razali Hussain said public consultation is a core element in the implementation of Good Regulatory Practices (GRP).

“It enables the authorities to engage stakeholders, interested parties and the general public in policy decisions thus reflecting the government’s commitment to transparency and accountability,” he told reporters at the workshop.

Norazman said Malaysia recognises the importance of public consultations in GRP and has proposed to the Asia-Pacific Economic Corporation (Apec) economic committee to initiate the “Peer Review on Public Consultations”.

Around 120 participants from Apec economies, international and local speakers, government officials and the business community are attending the two-day workshop organised by MPC and supported by Apec. – Bernama