Public Management and Governance in Malaysia: Trends and Transformations

While the role of government in modern society has remained a contentious issue, public sector governance around the globe has lately undergone major transformations and reforms. Malaysia is widely known for its 'development success' where the public sector has arguably played a critical role in steering the process of socio-economic development. Since the mid 1980s, the country's public governance witnessed considerable transformations in its structural, functional and behavioural dimensions. Virtually every aspect of the public governance has been altered and modified by contemporary reforms and policy changes. The government has, among others, restructured the civil service, undertaken massive reengineering, introduced quality management principles and programs, embraced ICT, recast budgeting and financial management practices and implemented an extensive program of privatisation. While such changes and reforms have generally brought about noticeable improvements in various spheres, they are not without flaws and limitations. As such, reforms have also attracted public criticisms for their inadequacies, failures and at times negative consequences. This book provides a first and detailed account of contemporary developments in public sector administration and governance in Malaysia. It offers a comprehensive overview of the changing nature of the public sector governance and policy in the country. In contributions by experts in their field, the book analyses the institutional and operational aspects of public management, contemporary reforms and their impacts in theoretical and practical terms.