MIRI: The Sarawak Government's commitment to strengthening transparent, integrity and accountable governance continues to be strengthened through the organisation of the Ombudsman Townhall Session with Sarawak Civil Servants and the Northern Zone Community.
The programme, themed 'Mediating Justice', serves as an important platform in strengthening the relationship between the government and the people, as well as opening up a space for dialogue to examine the experiences and challenges of the community when dealing with public agencies.
The opening ceremony held at a leading hotel here on Thursday was officiated by Deputy Minister in the Sarawak Premier's Department (Integrity and Ombudsman) Dato Murshid Diraja Datuk Dr Juanda Jaya.
In his speech, Dr Juanda stressed that the establishment of the Sarawak Ombudsman marks a key reform measure to ensure that the principles of justice, transparency and accountability continue to be the foundation of the public service delivery system in the state.
"An administration that does not listen is a failed administration. The state government is striving to build a system that not only listens with its ears, but also with its heart," he said.
According to him, the townhall session is not just a platform for dialogue, but rather an important arena to listen directly to the views, challenges and grievances of the people and civil servants for the purpose of continuous improvement.
He also explained that the role of the Ombudsman is not limited to receiving and investigating complaints alone, but also acts as a catalyst for systemic reform by identifying the causes of recurring problems in public administration, including procedural weaknesses, lack of monitoring and a work culture that is not in line with the principle of integrity.
“The Ombudsman is not present to punish, but to help us identify weaknesses that we may not be aware of. They help us become better,” he said.
He added that the reports and recommendations submitted by the Ombudsman provide an opportunity for government agencies to improve existing systems, thus strengthening the efficiency of service delivery as a whole.
In this regard, civil servants are urged to see the Ombudsman as a strategic partner in strengthening the quality of services, while village and community leaders (KMKK) are encouraged to continue to voice their views prudently in order to trigger constructive change.
The townhall session brought together approximately 500 participants consisting of state and federal civil servants, representatives of local authorities, State Owned Enterprises (SOE), statutory bodies and local community leaders.
Among those present were Miri Division Resident Galong Luang and Miri District KMKK.
