KUALA LUMPUR: The government was urged to expedite the tabling of the Ombudsman Malaysia law at the next sitting of Parliament to help realise the establishment of a body to enhance
integrity and governance in addressing public complaints.
Former advisory board member of Public Complaints Bureau, Tan Sri Lee Lam Thye said that in 2018 the new government gave the green light to set up the Ombudsman Malaysia, to replace the
Public Complaints Bureau.
However, the proposed bill was yet to be tabled in Parliament last year, he said Lee said Prime Minister Tun Dr Mahathir Mohamad had announced that the Public Complaints Bureau would be known and function as Ombudsman Malaysia and an Ombudsman Act would be drafted to ensure a more effective management of public complaints in Malaysia “The time has come for the establishment of a Malaysian Ombudsman as it could serve as a body which would hear and investigate cases involving maladministration.”
He said Dewan Rakyat Speaker Tan Sri Mohamad Ariff Yusof had also cited the example of New Zealand where the Ombudsman in the commonwealth country functioned as an investigator, with the authority to hear any matter concerning maladministration.
“I hope that this can be part of the efforts to reduce bureaucratic red tape and improve administrative efficiency in all government departments and agencies.
In this connection, the setting up of the ombudsman system would be a step in the right direction to address all public grievances against all departments and agencies. I had raised the Ombudsman issue as far back as November 2003,” Lee said.
The term Ombudsman is derived from the Swedish word meaning ‘grievance person’ or ‘representative or agent of the people’. It is also referred in Oxford Dictionary as the ‘people’s defender’ and he or she is appointed to safeguard the citizens against abuse or misuse of administrative power by executive.
“They are citizen’s friend and protector entrusted to enquire personally into alleged wrongs inflicted on the man-in-the-street by a range of public authorities,” Lee said.
He said that in the early 70’s, Malaysia had wanted to consider such a system and had in fact studied the New Zealand ombudsman model with a view to its implementation here. It was shelved and in its place the Public Complaints Bureau was set up.
“Almost all developed countries have an Ombudsman and it's a timely move to address public grievances against any public authority in line with the new government's emphasis on improving service delivery and fighting corruption in the interest of the public.
“We are now more open to such a concept with the Ombudsman for Financial Services having started operations 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,” he said.