BANGI: The proposed Malaysian Ombudsman is to address perceptions over the transparency of internal complaint processes and does not mean existing mechanisms are ineffective, says Datuk Seri Azalina Othman Said.
The Minister in the Prime Minister’s Department (Law and Institutional Reform) said the Public Complaints Bureau is subject to public perceptions on the transparency and outcome of complaints as it operates within the administrative structure.
“I’m not saying it is ineffective. The problem is when the mechanism is internal, sometimes many people question its outcome. People may even think twice before lodging a report.
“The Ombudsman will separate the Public Complaints Bureau from government agencies. It will be an independent agency,” she told a press conference after officiating the Madani Accountability Framework 2026 Town Hall programme here yesterday, Bernama reported.
Azalina said the move is important to prevent public hesitation in lodging complaints, and ensure every report of misconduct is examined seriously and without bias.
“So, my point is that the whole purpose of the Ombudsman is to separate it from government institutions so that people will have confidence and complaints will be taken seriously. We are in government service ... and not perfect all the time,” she said.
Earlier, during a Q&A with participants, Azalina said the Ombudsman will not be an enforcement body but one that receives complaints, conducts investigations and makes recommendations to the disciplinary board of the relevant agency for further action.
She said the recommendations will be tabled in Parliament as part of the institutional checks and balances process.
“For example, like the IPCC (Independent Police Conduct Commission) in the police, they have their own mini ombudsman. So they do their own investigation. The same thing goes for the MACC (Malaysian Anti-Corruption Commission).
“These are all things that we have to sort out before we finalise how we want the Ombudsman to be implemented,” she said.
On the drafting of the Freedom of Information (FOI) Act, Azalina said it will be among key reforms in strengthening the culture of government openness and ensuring the public’s right to access information will be better protected.
She said this is in line with current needs to improve transparency in public administration, mainly in the dissemination of information.
“Can you imagine if you write a letter to a government department but it goes unanswered for months?
“This is why the FOI is needed, because questions must be answered,” she said.
Prime Minister Datuk Seri Anwar Ibrahim had said that the proposal on the Malaysian Ombudsman and drafting of the FOI Act were undergoing engagement sessions and are expected to be tabled in Parliament this year.
