Civil society groups press Putrajaya for timeline on Ombudsman Malaysia Bill

KUALA LUMPUR Aug 13 - A coalition of 33 civil society organisations and nine individuals has called on the government to provide a clear timeline for the establishment of Ombudsman Malaysia, questioning repeated delays in tabling legislation for the proposed independent public complaints body.

In a joint statement today, the group said the establishment of an Ombudsman office had been consistently presented as a key institutional reform under Prime Minister Datuk Seri Anwar Ibrahim's administration since 2022, but the proposed law has yet to materialise.

The coalition noted that the Ombudsman had been included as a reform target in the National Anti-Corruption Strategy 2024-2028 and the National Action Plan on Business and Human Rights 2025-2030, as well as raised before the United Nations Human Rights Council during Malaysia's fourth-cycle Universal Periodic Review in 2024.

It said Anwar had announced in December 2025 that the Ombudsman Bill was scheduled to be tabled in early 2026, with the proposed body expected to handle public complaints and have a broader mandate covering governance, misconduct, whistleblower protection and freedom of information.

Minister in the Prime Minister's Department (Law and Institutional Reform) Datuk Seri Azalina Othman Said subsequently reaffirmed in May 2026 the government's commitment to table the Bill during the July parliamentary sitting, according to the statement.

"Again and again, the government promises that this Bill shall be introduced yet fails to do so at each session of Parliament," the coalition said.

Independent mechanism for public complaints

The group said the need for the Ombudsman had become more significant because the recently tabled Freedom of Information Bill 2026 expressly referred to the Ombudsman as an oversight body despite legislation establishing the institution itself not yet being in place.

It described the situation as a "paradoxical legal situation".

According to the coalition, the existing public complaints management system is not streamlined and can require departments and agencies facing complaints to resolve those complaints themselves.

It said an independent external body was therefore necessary to investigate and resolve public complaints without conflicts of interest and to help identify weaknesses in public service delivery.

The coalition also said the Legal Affairs Division (BHEUU) had engaged international experts and Ombudsman institutions worldwide and established working committees involving government agencies, civil society and academia in developing the proposed legislation.

It questioned the outcome of the time, effort and resources already invested in the process.

Seven safeguards sought for Ombudsman

The coalition said the Ombudsman Act should establish the institution as an independent statutory body answerable to Parliament rather than the Executive.

Its investigative and supervisory jurisdiction should cover public services, federal statutory bodies and privatised public utility providers without omissions.

The appointment and removal of Ombudspersons should also be subjected to parliamentary selection and scrutiny, supported by clear statutory criteria to safeguard transparency and prevent executive interference.

The Ombudsman should have sufficient autonomy over its staffing, budgeting and internal affairs, while its investigative powers should include the ability to initiate investigations on its own motion, compel witness cooperation and obtain unrestricted access to relevant documents and premises.

The coalition also called for mechanisms requiring government bodies to provide written responses on the implementation of the Ombudsman's recommendations and written reasons when recommendations are not implemented.

It proposed establishing a specialised Parliamentary Select Committee to consider the Ombudsman's reports, conduct follow-up inquiries, issue reform recommendations and exercise oversight over the institution itself.

Government urged to set clear timeline

The coalition said an effective Ombudsman could improve federal public service delivery and strengthen public trust in government.

It urged the government to provide a clear and transparent timeline for introducing the Ombudsman Bill and ensure the legislation establishes a progressive, rights-based framework aligned with international best practices, including safeguards for institutional autonomy against executive interference.

It also called on the government to continue engaging civil society organisations and academics in developing, implementing and reassessing key legislation, policies and reform initiatives.

Among the 33 organisations endorsing the statement were the Center to Combat Corruption and Cronyism (C4 Center), Aliran, Centre for Independent Journalism, Consumers Association of Penang, G25 Malaysia, Gabungan Pilihan Raya Bersih & Adil (BERSIH), Greenpeace Malaysia, Institute for Democracy and Economic Affairs (IDEAS), Projek SAMA, Pusat KOMAS, Rasuah Busters, Sahabat Alam Malaysia and Suara Rakyat Malaysia (SUARAM).

The nine individual signatories were Brendon Gan, Daniel Lim, Datuk Hussamuddin Yaacub, Hasbeemasputra Abu Bakar, Kennedy Michael, Logann Kumarasu, Muhammad Ariff Mohamad Nizam, Shah Hakim Zain and Tang Yi Ze. - DagangNews.com