Azalina Govt In Final Phase Towards Establishing Ombudsman Body

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Minister in the Prime Minister’s Department Datuk Seri Azalina Othman Said says the plan to establish an ombudsman body is in the final stages. NSTP file picKUALA LUMPUR: The government is in the final phase of establishing the Malaysian Ombudsman body, and is working to raise broader awareness among stakeholders on the proposed independent watchdog.
Minister in the Prime Minister's Department (Law and Institutional Reform) Datuk Seri Azalina Othman Said said the list of proposed policies is being finalised and will be submitted to the cabinet for consideration.
She said six stakeholder engagement sessions involving 665 participants have been held, to ensure the institution will be comprehensive, independent and effective in Malaysia's socio-political landscape.
"The matters presented during the engagement sessions included initial proposals and parameters for establishing the Malaysian Ombudsman, covering its structure and composition, functions and jurisdiction, as well as the scope of complaints to be administered by this new institution.
"These sessions also involved benchmarking against successful international ombudsman models in Australia, New Zealand, Indonesia and Timor-Leste," she said.
Azalina said this in a written parliamentary reply to Datuk Che Mohamad Zulkifly Jusoh (PN-Besut), regarding the outcome of the government's stakeholder engagement efforts and the next steps to expedite the ombudsman's establishment.
She said the engagement sessions also addressed issues, including limits to the ombudsman's powers, its impact on federal-state relations, appointment terms and the types of government misconduct it would oversee.
She said all findings and feedback gathered during the engagement sessions and benchmarking visits were refined in a policy workshop to shape the framework and implementation.
"The establishment of the ombudsman reflects the Madani government's efforts to strengthen integrity, transparency and accountability in governance.
"This institution is expected to bring significant benefits to the public and the civil service, while also boosting investor and international community confidence in Malaysia's commitment to upholding good governance, justice and the protection of human rights," she said.
On Nov 13, 2024, Deputy Minister in the Prime Minister's Department (Law and Institutional Reform) M. Kulasegaran had said that the mechanism for the implementation of the Malaysian Ombudsman will be finalised by the first quarter of this year.
In April last year, the Legal Affairs Division announced that the government had agreed to establish a more comprehensive ombudsman body through a three-month study. - NST

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