Role and transition of public service in Malaysia: An effective governance perspective

Abstract

Effective governance (EG) is a new term, with modified concept, popularized for governing a country well, particularly since the new millennium age. It has become more important with the urge and challenge of globalization, whereby managing a country is not by virtue of one man that is the leader, but a combination of three major entities, that is, the state, the private sector and the citizens. This article will, however, concentrate on the role of public service and the process of transition in the move towards EG. For the purpose of better cognition to the EG theory, the author presented the theory beforehand in two perspectives: contemporary and Islam. These two theories are used as the underlining background for the analysis. It is found that the role and transition of the public sector in Malaysia brought various forms of reformations that undeniably had produced positive impacts on the quality of the public delivery system, and therefore contribute to the realization of effective governance. Nevertheless, the report on management capability and corruption perception does not help in proving EG as an output, as it is merely a process. This article suggests that conceptualizing EG from both Islamic and contemporary theories could assist the government in continuously improving the public services.