KUCHING: Premier Datuk Patinggi Tan Sri Abang Johari Tun Openg will be visiting Sweden to closely study the country’s ombudsman system in an effort to strengthen integrity in the state government.
Abang Johari said the upcoming visit will also involve state attorneys and the relevant stakeholders to thoroughly study the system.
“We want to strengthen integrity not only among civil servants but also among the public. The findings will be reported directly to the State Legislative Assembly (DUN).
“A Bill will be tabled at the end of this year’s assembly session that promotes a more responsible system, where you are accountable to the DUN and are subject to the DUN.
“This is what we aim to implement in Sarawak, to strengthen checks and balances in our governance,” he said.
Abang Johari said this to the press after officiating at the Financial Crime Prevention Seminar held at Pullman Hotel here, yesterday (June 14).
On why the Sarawak government chose to emulate the Swedish system, he said, “The level of integrity in Sweden is very high and this is the system that we want, where elected representatives can directly report to the DUN.
“This means checking and balancing both the government and non-government bodies.
“We need a balance in managing this system of checks and balances. Otherwise, people might perceive the government as biased,” he added.
He said a study will be conducted after the Swedish model for transparent and responsible governance.
“The important thing is responsible governance,” he stressed.
The ombudsman concept began in Sweden with the Swedish Parliamentary Ombudsman instituted by the Instrument of Government of 1809 to safeguard the rights of citizens by establishing a supervisory agency independent of the executive branch.
