KUCHING: Sarawak has made history as the first state in Malaysia to have its own Ombudsman Ordinance, becoming a new benchmark in efforts to strengthen integrity and governance to ensure a transparent, accountable and people-oriented administration.
This commitment was delivered in conjunction with the National Conference on Integrity and Governance (NCIG) 2025 here on Tuesday.
Sarawak Premier, Datuk Patinggi Tan Sri Abang Abdul Rahman Zohari Tun Datuk Abang Openg said the Ombudsman legislation is seen as a bold step that strengthens the state's administrative oversight and accountability system by providing a formal and independent mechanism for the people to submit complaints, demand transparency and ensure the government is open to review and improvement.
“Sarawak has also institutionalised integrity through various initiatives such as the establishment of the Sarawak Integrity and Ombudsman Unit (UNIONS), the appointment of Certified Integrity Officers (CeIO) in every government agency, the implementation of the e-procurement system and structured training for civil servants.
“This step emphasises that integrity is not just a slogan but is the core of the administration and implementation of development,” he said.
He said this in the text of his speech read by Sarawak Deputy Premier, Datuk Amar Awang Tengah Ali Hasan
at the opening ceremony.
The conference themed “Reimagining Governance for People, Planet and Profit” brought together more than 1,000 participants from the government, private and civil society sectors, highlighting the integrity agenda as a global necessity, no longer an option.
In the context of the Post-COVID-19 Development Strategy (PCDS) 2030, he said, the state administration emphasized that infrastructure development, digitalisation and green economy will not succeed without a foundation of values built on transparency, accountability and integrity.
He said the conference also emphasized that Sarawak’s efforts are in line with the Sustainable Development Goals Sustainable Development Goals (SDG 16) which focus on peace, justice and strong institutions.
Integrity is seen not only as related to administrative procedures but also has a direct impact on the well-being of the people, he added.
“Integrity means ensuring that rural students have safe schools, poor patients receive fair treatment and small businesses have equal financing opportunities.
"This is the true meaning of integrity when translated into the daily lives of the people,” he added.
He further explained that Sarawak is also active in the global agenda through the implementation of renewable energy initiatives, green hydrogen development and tropical forest conservation, which not only supports the Paris Agreement on Climate Change but also demonstrates the state's determination towards green and sustainable development.
The NCIG 2025 conference is organised by the Association of Development Finance Institutions of Malaysia (ADFIM) in collaboration with the Sarawak Government, serving as an important platform to strengthen the network of cooperation between the public, private sectors, financial institutions, non-governmental organisations (NGOs) and civil society to make integrity a strategy and governance a culture in national development.
Also present were Deputy Minister in the Sarawak Premier's Department (Integrity and Ombudsman) Datuk Dr Juanda Jaya, Deputy Minister of Tourism, Creative Industry and Performing Arts, Datuk Sebastian Ting Chew Yew, Deputy Minister of Youth, Sports and Entrepreneur Development, Dato Gerald Rentap Jabu, Deputy Minister in the Sarawak Premier's Department (Native Law and Custom), Datuk Jefferson Jamit Unyat, Deputy Minister of Utility and Telecommunication (Telecommunication), Datuk Liwan Lagang and Deputy Sarawak Secretary (Operations), Datu Hii Chang Kee. - UKASnews
