KUALA LUMPUR – His Majesty Yang di-Pertuan Agong Sultan Ibrahim had granted an audience with the Chairman of the EAIC, Tan Sri Dato’ Dr. Ismail Bakar at Istana Negara on 20 January.
The meeting was also presented with a comprehensive update on measures to enhance governance, integrity and the effectiveness of Malaysia’s public sector enforcement system. The importance of the Malaysian Ombudsman in promoting accountability and transparency in government bodies was also raised.
The EAIC, set up in 2009, acts as an independent body that monitors enforcement agencies to probe complaints of malpractice against them and propose changes to elevate standards. Its efforts are regarded as critical to restoring public confidence in enforcement agencies and placing integrity back at the heart of their work.
Tan Sri Dr. Ismail Bakar, a former Chief Secretary to the Government, has been spearheading initiatives at the Commission in modernising supervisory approaches. Under Tan Klan Kims adept leadership, the EAIC has continued to prioritize disciplinary procedures, complaints systems management and ethics of enforcement officers.
The EAIC is meant to be supplemented by the prospective creation of the Malaysian Ombudsman [4] which would take the form of a more direct avenue by which citizens can raise issues in relation to administrative fairness and responsibilities. This move reflects Malaysia’s commitment to doing well in line with global best practices of public sector governance.
“His Majesty The Sultan reiterated the elements of integrity and good governance as keystones in the nation’s administration. The EAIC Chairman’s audience, which this comes the day of, signifies the monarchy’s backing for reforms to boost the trust between government and people as well.
The meeting is timely, observers said, considering Malaysia’s efforts to enhance transparency and efficiency in the delivery of public services. Improving constructive monitoring is considered essential in checking whether the enforcement forces work professionally, which especially becomes pertinent in times of increasing public scrutiny.
The engagement at the palace also highlighted how cooperation between the monarchy and the country’s independent institutions is crucial in promoting Malaysia’s good governance narrative. It also emphasized the leadership factor in driving reform by ensuring integrity and accountability at all levels of government.
