Malaysia Should Align Public Service Reform With Global Indices - MACC

KUALA LUMPUR, Sept 25 (Bernama) -- Malaysia should strengthen the implementation of the Public Service Reform Agenda (ARPA) by emulating international governance standards and adopting three key governance approaches to improve service delivery to the public.

Malaysian Anti-Corruption Commission (MACC) National Governance Planning Division (BPGN) deputy director Mohd Gunawan Che Ab Aziz said these efforts are crucial to ensure a public service that is more efficient, transparent, with high integrity, and citizen-focused, in line with the commitment recently pledged by Chief Secretary to the Government Tan Sri Shamsul Azri Abau Bakar.

He also emphasised the importance of referencing international indices such as the Worldwide Governance Indicators (WGI), Global Governance Index (GGI), and Corruption Perceptions Index (CPI) in these reform efforts.

“The WGI, compiled by the World Bank, assesses six governance aspects, including corruption control and government effectiveness, while the GGI focuses on the performance of regulatory frameworks and infrastructure supporting sustainable competitiveness.

“Transparency International’s CPI, on the other hand, measures the perceived level of public sector corruption, complementing the overall assessment,” he said in a statement today.

Mohd Gunawan noted that although these indices use different focuses and methodologies, they complement each other in evaluating governance quality.

He said countries with high scores in one index tend to perform well in the others, a trend clearly observed in Nordic and Western European countries.

“Denmark, Finland, and Sweden consistently top the rankings with high scores across WGI, GGI, and CPI, while Singapore and New Zealand also demonstrate excellent performance.

“Countries with strong governance tend to have low corruption levels, high government effectiveness, and regulatory frameworks that provide robust support,” he explained.

In this context, Mohd Gunawan underscored that Malaysia can accelerate its reforms by embracing three main governance approaches: Human-Centric Administration (HCA), Human Rights-Centric Administration (HRCA), and Value-Based Management (VBM).

“HCA emphasises practical citizen experience; HRCA ensures that every service respects human rights; and VBM fosters an organisational culture based on core values such as integrity and efficiency.

“By applying these three approaches, the government can not only enhance public service reforms focused on citizens, human rights, and values but also improve its performance on global governance and anti-corruption indicators,” he said.

As an example, Mohd Gunawan suggested that licensing or permit application processes could serve as a case study for applying these governance approaches.

He said that for HCA, policies could introduce user-friendly online licensing applications complemented by support desks staffed with trained, empathetic officers to assist applicants with limited digital skills.

“This approach prioritises the practical experience of citizens, ensuring the process is clear, less confusing, and more enjoyable, ultimately aiming for higher user satisfaction,” he explained.

From the HRCA perspective, policies must guarantee that every citizen has equal rights to apply for permits without discrimination, while VBM requires government agencies to uphold core values such as “fast and accurate service” and “integrity”, he added.

-- BERNAMA