KUALA LUMPUR: Government transformation has been a difficult journey but Prime Minister Datuk Seri Najib Razak maintains that the initiatives have yielded significant results over the past three years.
These remarks preface tonight's release of the Government Transformation Programme (GTP) 2012 annual report which is widely seen as Najib's report card ahead of the impending general election.
In his foreword to the annual report, Najib admits that the GTP has been a challenging endeavour since these initiatives aim directly at the civil service.
Civil service reform is a tricky affair for politicians since Malaysia's 1.42 million employees in the civil service represent a significant voter bloc and a traditional "vote bank" for the Barisan Nasional ruling coalition.
"The GTP, which aims at the very heart of the civil service, is more difficult than most. Throughout this first phase, there have been steep learning curves and some initiatives have not met the ambitious goals set at the start," Najib wrote in the annual report.
The GTP has zoomed in on seven National Key Result Areas (NKRAs) for reform and has put relevant ministers directly responsible for the transformation measures. They are:
* Addressing the rising cost of living;
* Reducing crime;
* Fighting corruption;
* Improving student outcomes;
* Raising living standards of low-income households;
* Improving rural basic infrastructure and improving urban public transport
Najib is taking centre stage at last night's release of the GTP and Economic Transformation Programme (ETP) annual reports where he is expected to trumpet his government's key achievements.
Last night's event was broadcast live on several television channels, doubling as a platform for the prime minister to address the nation before dissolving parliament in the coming weeks.
Looking to the next phase
Najib reminded that Phase One of the GTP, GTP 1.0, remains the first step and merely the groundwork for more transformation. The GTP 2.0 phase will run from 2013 to 2015 to enhance and expand on the measures introduced over the last three years.
The GTP's second phase aims to garner more public support and greater participation from civil society groups and the private sector.
Despite the early "significant" results seen, Najib said the momentum needs to be sustained for the reform initiatives to have a lasting impact.
He urged the rakyat to play a bigger role in helping the government improve Malaysia as the era of "government knows best" is over.
"One key lesson from GTP 1.0 is that the government cannot achieve change alone. The GTP affects everyone - from families to small business to multinational corporations - and cannot attain its ambitious goals without the participation of all Malaysians," Najib said.
Meanwhile, Deputy Prime Minister Tan Sri Muhyiddin Yassin said that the rakyat can expect to see more visible transformation undertaken in the next three years.
"Most of the changes occurred behind the scenes because most of the work was foundational. But an excellent job has been done of ensuring that the results were transparent," Muhyiddin said in his foreword in the GTP 2012 annual report.
Highlights
Delivered outcomes for 2012 under the GTP
NKEA: Addressing the rising cost of living
Under this National Key Economic Area (NKEA), the government adopted a more focused approach to help ease the burden of the rakyat faced with rising cost of living.
Providing assistance to working class and underprivileged households
*One-off BR1M payout of RM500 cash to households earning less than RM3,000 a month.
*In 2013, BR1M was extended to singles earning less than RM3,000 a month.
*KAR1SMA programme which distributed cash aid from between RM100 and RM450 to underprivileged recipients including senior citizens, the disabled and single mothers.
Reducing education costs
*Abolishment of school fees.
*The Back-to-School incentive programme gave RM100 to enrolled students from Primary One to Form Five.
*About 1.13 million tertiary education students received RM200 each in book vouchers.
Ensuring affordable goods and services
*Introduction of Kedai Kain 1Malaysia (KK1M) to provide affordable clothing.
*IN 2012, there were 59 new Kedai Rakyat 1Malaysia (KR1M) shops opened.
*Continuation of key programmes for affordable food and healthcare.
NKEA: Reducing crime
This NKRA focused on dual goals of reducing crime and restoring public confidence.
Index Crime reduction
* Third consecutive year of reduced Index Crime and Street Crime.
* Index crime fell 7.6% while street crime fell 41.3% in 2012.
* Flagship initiatives like Omnipresence Programme and the Safe City Programme broadened and improved.
Community involvement
* Implementation of the United Against Crime campaign to facilitate public and law enforcement collaboration.
Fear of becoming a victim of crime
*Public concerns about personal safety was a key issue in 2012 after a spate of high-profile crime cases.
More arrests brought to trial
*The number of cases brought to court within 12 months of arrest increased to 34.7% in 2012.
NKEA: Fighting corruption
This NKEA aims to stamp out corruption in the civil service and has been expanded to private sector enterprises that do business with the government.
Political funding reforms
*Reforms to be implemented aim to "plug the leak" of funds meant for political parties.
Compliance by government bodies
*Key enforcement agencies adopt the Anti-Corruption NKRA's compliance units .
Implementation of AES
The Road Transport Department's Automated Enforcement System (AES) aims to minimise opportunities for
corruption.
Creation of the Central Asset Management Corporation
*New legislation drafted to create the Central Asset Management Corporation to manage confiscated assets for the government.
Improvement in the Corruption Perception Index (CPI) ranking
*Malaysia's ranking improved six places to 54th spot in 2012 in the Corruption Perception Index by Transparency International.
NKEA: Improving student outcomes
This NKEA is aimed at developing a quality education system, which will form the cornerstone of a skilled workforce.
Increasing pre-school enrolment
*In 2012, 2,054 new pre-schools opened and enrolment levels rose to 80% of all pre-school aged children.
* Pilot programme for gauging quality of pre-school schemes.
Continued screening of school children under LINUS
*Improved proficiency rate of 82% and 90% for each category screened under the NKRA's Literacy and Numeracy Screening (LINUS) programme.
Enhancing the new deals for principals programme
*Introduction of a new category to ensure that all school principals and head teachers get a fair opportunity to win a new deal regardless of their school's size or enrolment.
Paving the way for upskilling English teachers
*About 61,000 English teachers were tested under the Cambridge Placement Test (CPT) to ascertain their proficiency in the English Language. This is to prepare for an initiative in GTP 2.0 to provide remedial support for non-proficient teachers.
The school improvement programme
*In 2012, there was a 43.6% decrease (164 schools) in lowest performing schools categorised as Band 6 and Band 7 schools.
*In 2012, there was a 27.1% rise (101 schools) in highest performing schools categorised as Band 1 and Band 2 schools.
NKEA: Raising living standards of low-income households
After eradicating extreme poverty, this NKRA is now focused on expanding economic self-empowerment to help the impoverish escape from the cycle of poverty.
Breaking households from the cycle of poverty
*Over the last three years of the GTP, 99.9% of people previously classified as "extreme poor" have been taken out of that category primarily through the Akhiri Zaman Miskin (1AZAM) programme.
Providing entrepreneurial and skills training
*Implementation of several training programmes including special workshops for women entrepreneurs.
* About 4,300 women entrepreneurs have been trained over the last three years.
Increasing home ownership among the poor
*In the last three years, 44,416 low-cost DBKL houses were offered for sale to current tenants.
*The construction of 4,865 new Rumah Mesra Rakyat.
*Restoration of abandoned houses.
NKRA: Improving rural basic infrastructure
This NKEA is to accelerate and focus the pace of development in rural areas, where 30% or about 8.1 million Malaysians reside.
Continued delivery of clean water to 60,000 rural rakyat
*The Serian Regional Water Treatment Plant to benefit some 22,000 rural villagers upon completion by early 2013.
* The Lubok Antu Phase Regional Water Treatment Plant to bring clean water to 5,000 rural villagers by early 2013.
* The Saratok Regional Water Treatment Plant to serve 43,000 rural villagers by mid-2013.
Delivering roads for 140,000 households in Sabah
* Upgrading a 40km stretch of Jalan Pulau Bum-Bum, Semporna by November 2012.
* Construction of a 5km road at Jalan Piau Nagaya, Ranau in January 2012.
Delivering reliable 24-hour power
* Construction of a Grid Line at Kampung Bangkong, Pahang to connect 120 households in early 2013.
* Construction of a Grid Line at Kg Orang Asli Tanah Runtuh, Pahang for 62 households in early 2013.
NKEA: Improving urban public transport
This NKEA is to cater to the public transport needs for Kuala Lumpur which is expected to have an additional four million residents by 2020.
Putting into service six-car train sets for the KTM Komuter service
* All 37 six-car sets, with capacity of 1,100 passengers each, have been put into service for the KTM Komuter.
* Waiting times for KTM trains reduced to 15 minutes during peak periods from 45 minutes previously.
Introduction of Go KL intra-city buses
* Two of four planned Go KL bus routes started this year. These buses report daily ridership of 14,000.
Introduction of Park & Ride facilities
* A new Park & Ride facility with a capacity of 1,200 cars was launched in Gombak in November 2012.
* More Park & Rides have been slated to accompany selected LRT and KTM stations.
Implementation of RapidKL Bus Info System
* In Phase One, 59 bus stops in Kuala Lumpur have been outfitted with info boards to give commuters better indication of their expected wait times.
