KUCHING – The Sarawak government has intensified efforts to improve its public complaint management system, Talikhidmat, by emphasizing three core elements: promptness, empathy, and resolution.
Datu Hii Chang Kee, Sarawak Deputy Secretary to the Government (Operations), announced that the response time for complaints has been reduced from three working days to just one, ensuring quicker acknowledgments and more efficient issue resolution.
Speaking at a Talikhidmat Strengthening Workshop on Thursday, Datu Hii stressed that these measures are critical to maintaining public trust and satisfaction.
“Officers must acknowledge receipt of a complaint within 24 hours and resolve it within 14 working days,” he stated.
He warned that department heads would face warnings and be required to attend monthly meetings if complaints remain unresolved beyond this period.
The workshop, attended by over 200 state and federal agencies, aimed to streamline complaint handling processes and foster a culture of empathy and professionalism among officers.
Datu Hii highlighted that empathetic engagement is essential to preventing public dissatisfaction and ensuring that complaints are addressed holistically.
These enhancements are part of broader initiatives to digitalize and improve public service delivery in Sarawak, aligning with the state’s goals of administrative efficiency and citizen-centric governance.