Advancing Integrity in Local Authority Public Service Delivery: A Pandemic Case Study in Klang, Selangor, Malaysia

Mohd Rezaidi Mohd Ishak ； Md. Said bin Zainol ； Noor Yuslinda binti Mohd Yusof

《Southeast Asian Social Science Review》 6卷2期 (2021/11) Pp. 76-102

https://doi.org/10.29945/SEASSR.202111_6(2).0004

摘要

This paper is about the operationalization of integrity by focusing on the performance enhancement of the local authorities (LA) service delivery in Malaysia. Pioneering studies were conducted previously with the Community Integrity Building (CIB) approach in the states of Melaka, Selangor and Terengganu, measuring integrity and its relationship to performance enhancement. However, these pilot studies were conducted prior to the 2020 Covid-19 pandemic. The pandemic triggered a lockdown in March 2020, subsequently followed by a declaration of a state of emergency in January 2021. During this time, the Klang Municipal Council in Selangor decided to proceed with the CIB implementation, with the objective of enhancing the collaboration between the community, the contractors and the LA staff to improve the service delivery in Klang. The CIB's unique attribute is that the method creates enhanced feedback loops of continuous improvement and vigilance, and it is employed to simultaneously improve services and increase awareness of the community over time. Due to the nation-wide movement restrictions, nearly 90% of the necessary action plans had to be executed online, rather than employing the traditional face-to-face meetings. The study utilized the fix rate method, as well as integrity and governance measures to objectively measure improvements in the community's perception of the LA's service delivery. The aim is to bridge the gap between conceptualization and operationalization under the duress of pandemic constraints. The study concludes by highlighting areas of opportunity for initiating change in the way things are done in the public service, especially with regard to the integrity agenda by building local community awareness.

關鍵字

community integrity building (CIB) ； local authority ； service delivery ； fix rate method ； Klang Muncipal Council