Red Tape Reform Efforts Pay Off, 14 High Impact RKB Projects Recognised

PUTRAJAYA, June 29 (Bernama) -- A total of 14 High-Impact Bureaucratic Red-Tape Reform (RKB) projects were recognised by the government today in appreciation of the commitment shown by ministries, agencies and state governments in strengthening public service delivery while boosting national productivity and competitiveness. 

The recognition was presented at the Bureaucratic Red-Tape Reform (RKB) Recognition Ceremony here, which also saw certificates awarded to 86 high-potential RKB projects, 12 recipients under the category of highest number of completed RKB projects, and three special RKB award recipients. 

The ceremony was officiated by the Chief Secretary to the Government Tan Sri Shamsul Azri Abu Bakar and attended by Public Service director-general Tan Sri Wan Ahmad Dahlan Abdul Aziz, ministry secretaries-general, state secretaries, public service and state management representatives, RKB coordinators and project representatives. 

In his speech, Shamsul Azri said reforms must translate into changes that are visible, measurable and felt by the public and business community; as such, efforts to reduce bureaucratic red tape must be carried out consistently to drive the country’s productivity and competitiveness. 

“Reform is not merely a slogan or a poster. It is change that can be seen, measured and experienced by the people and the business community.

“RKB, one of the initiatives under the Public Service Reform Agenda (ARPA), strengthens the government’s efforts to build a faster, more citizen-centric public service through a whole-of-government approach involving ministries, agencies and state governments,” he said.  

According to Shamsul Azri, Malaysia’s performance in the IMD World Competitiveness Ranking 2026 reflects the positive impact of these reforms, with the country climbing eight spots to 15th out of 70 economies, its best performance in a decade. 

He said the Government Efficiency indicator also improved by 11 positions, rising from 25th to 14th globally, reflecting international recognition of efforts to strengthen governance, accelerate service delivery and reduce regulatory burdens. 

He noted that the achievement reinforces the government’s commitment to consistently implement RKB initiatives in support of Malaysia’s target of reaching 12th place globally in the competitiveness ranking by 2030. 

In addition to recognising RKB projects, the ceremony also honoured contributions in communication and productivity that support the reform agenda through awards for winners of the RKB media coverage competition and teams involved in the Artificial Intelligence (AI) Productivity Paradox initiative. 

“The government will continue to strengthen the implementation of RKB across ministries, agencies and state governments to ensure every reform initiative is carried out consistently, delivers high impact, and supports improvements in national productivity, economic competitiveness and the quality of public service delivery,” he said. 

-- BERNAMA