Sabah Moves To Strengthen Governance Through ISO, ABMS Certification

KOTA KINABALU, Jan 30 (Bernama) – The Sabah state government is pursuing integrated certification for the Quality Management System (MS ISO 9001:2015) and the Anti-Bribery Management System (ABMS 37001:2025), Chief Minister Datuk Seri Hajiji Noor said today.

He said the initiative aims to strengthen organisational governance, enhance the efficiency of public service delivery, and reflect the government’s continued commitment to integrity, transparency and accountability.

Hajiji stressed that the public service must be continuously strengthened to ensure services are delivered effectively and efficiently.

“This responsibility, extends beyond public service agencies to include all officers and staff of statutory bodies and government-linked companies (GLCs),” he said in his speech at the State Public Service assembly and the launch of Sabah Maju Jaya (SMJ) 2.0 at the Sabah International Convention Centre (SICC) here.

The Chief Minister said the state government is committed to building a more orderly, structured and disciplined administration, noting that acts of misconduct not only damage individual reputations but also affect families and institutions, while causing significant losses to the state and the country.

Hajiji said civil servants should see themselves not just as those who follow orders, but as strategic partners in turning government policies into outcomes that directly benefit the people and national development.

Hajiji said recent political developments have strengthened the state government’s position, securing a two-thirds majority in the State Legislative Assembly and ensuring political stability for sustained development and long-term public well-being.

“The stability allows the state government to draft and amend the state constitution in line with current needs, including a proposal to limit the Chief Minister’s tenure to a maximum of two terms or 10 years,” he added.

Other proposed measures include the addition of cabinet members to meet increasingly complex administrative demands, as well as the rebranding of Assistant Minister posts to Deputy Minister positions to better reflect current administrative practices.

Hajiji said the restructuring of several ministries, departments and government agencies, including GLCs, is underway to improve service delivery and performance, while ensuring efficiency, effectiveness and the protection of public and government interests.

 He said these efforts are in line with public aspirations and the state’s development agenda under the Sabah Maju Jaya 2.0 framework.

-- BERNAMA