SEnhancing

Quality of LifeTricia Yeoh

Institute for Democracy & Economic Affairs (IDEAS)

Budget Consultation 2015

26th May 2014

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Presentation Structure

S What does quality of life constitute?

S 3 themes:

S Improved Public Services

S Better Jobs & Work-Life Balance

S Transparent Government & Citizen Participation

2

EIUs Where-to-be-born Index 2013

S Malaysia ranks 36 out of 80 countries (Score = 6.62/ 10)

S Switzerland 1st, Singapore 6th, South Korea 19th, Thailand 50th

S Measures:

S Material wellbeing (GDP per capita)

S Life expectancy at birth

S Quality of family life, political freedoms, job security

S Climate

S Physical security

S Quality of community life

S Governance

S Gender equality

S Source: The Economist, 2012

3

OECD Better Life Index: What

Matters Most to Malaysians?

4

Housing

Jobs

Income

Environment

Safety

Education

Life Satisfaction

Work-Life Balance

Health

Source: OECD Better Life Index 2013

Australia, Norway, Sweden top 3 in Index: Housing, Income, Jobs, Community, Education, Environment, Civic Engagement as most important.

Civic Engagement

Community

5Better Quality of Life

Transparent Government &

Citizen Participation

* Better life satisfaction

* Better civic engagementand community life

Improving Public Services

* Better work-life balance

* Higher education standards

* Better safety in cities

* More healthy environment

Better Jobs & Work-Life Balance

* Better, high-salaried jobs

* Better life satisfaction

* Better work-life balance

6Better Public Services Better Jobs & Work-

Life Balance

Transparent

Government & Civic

Participation

Public Transport Job creation Open Government

Partnership

Education for the poor Open and competitive

economy

Extractive Industry

Transparency Initiative

(EITI)

Water Management Women in the workforce Transparent public

procurement

Combating Crime Freedom of Information

Act

Local government

elections

SImproving Public

Services

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Improving Public Services

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Area Proposals

1. Public Transport a) Empowering local governments b) Better co-ordination between federal, state and

local governments c) Extended pedestrian walkways and bicycle

lanes, mapped outd) Having bicycles and better parking facilities in

all railway options (LRT, MRT, KTM, Monorail)e) Walkways better connected to stationsf) Incentives for companies that provide shower

facilitiesg) Public transport focus to expand to other cities

nationwide, beyond Klang Valley

Environment Work-Life Balance

Improving Public Services

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Area Proposals

2. Education for the

poor

a) Clear, defined steps of how non-state players can contribute to education services (public schools)

b) Actively restore and encourage school boards to be formed for alumni and community to get involved

c) Encourage NGO and social enterprise through venture funds

d) Transparency in school rankings (academic & extra-curricular performance)

Education Work-Life BalanceCommunity

Improving Public Services

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Area Proposals

3. Water

Management

a) Paradigm shift from planning for water supply to managing water demand to avoid need to develop new resources

b) Concerted effort to encourage water conservation, reuse and recycling through enforcement and education

c) Provide incentives to households and developers that install water-efficient equipment, water conservation kits, water-efficient plumbing fixtures

d) More strict enforcement by regulator SPAN over water operators activities and Non-Revenue Water

e) Better collaboration between federal, state and local governments on regulatory enforcement

Environment Education Community

Improving Public Services

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Area Proposals

4. Combating

Crime

a) Channel budget allocation away from special branch and internal security to CID (criminal investigation division) as the priority in the police force. Currently, budget is almost equal (7.44% vs 7.64%).

b) Focus should be on street crime, gangs/ ringsoperating in selected vicinities.

c) Publish data of crime hot-spots of every city and rank these into black, grey and white areas.

d) Get public involved by allowing sharing of crime information and data possible via social media (citizens, developers, civil society, neighbourhood watch co-operating with local police)

Environment SafetyEducation Work-Life BalanceCommunity

SBetter Jobs &

Work-Life Balance

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Better Jobs &

Work-Life Balance

13

Area Proposals

5. Women in the

workforce

a) Encourage flexible working environment for working mothers in both public and private sectors

b) Encourage women working in the informal sector and entrepreneurial set-ups

c) Encourage women participation in public administration and political spaces like in local councils, state assemblies and federal Parliament

Income Jobs Work-Life BalanceCommunity

STransparent

Government & Civic

Participation

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Transparent government and

civic participation

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Area Proposals

6. an international platform for domestic reformers committed to making their governments more open,

accountable and responsive to citizens. (46 countries) For government to endorse the OGP declaration and join

the OGP within 2-3 years

7. a global coalition of governments, extractive companies and civil society working together to improve

openness and accountable management of revenues

from natural resources. (44 countries) Government to express interest to become candidate

country to implement the EITI within 3-4 years.

Kumpulan Wang Amanah Negara (Heritage Fund) data to be published regularly

Life Satisfaction Civic EngagementCommunity

Transparent government and

civic participation

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Area Proposals

8. Public

procurement

Transparent public procurement saves funds via a more open and competitive bidding process, resulting in

cheaper goods and services, stronger SMEs.

a) Regularly publish directly negotiated contracts on

MyProcurement website

b) PPP projects comply to same rules as MOF Procurement regulations (UKAS)

9. Freedom of

Information Act

Better access to information: citizens feel empowered and involved in public decision-making greater satisfaction

a) Form a Parliamentary Select Committee to conduct a FOI

Law feasibility study

b) Table a draft FOI Law in Parliament within one (1) year

Life Satisfaction Civic EngagementCommunity

Transparent government and

civic participation

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Area Proposals

10. Local

government

elections

Local government as first point of contact for citizens basic public delivery (potholes, roads) to be better governed through

enhanced accountability.

a) National Council for Local Government (NCLG) to pass a

motion to conduct a feasibility study and commit to restoring

local government elections within 3-5 years

b) Local council reform to improve administrative capacity of

all officers nationwide professionalising staff, streamlining job positions

Life Satisfaction Civic EngagementCommunity

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Better Quality of Life

Transparent Government &

Citizen Participation

* Better life satisfaction

* Better civic engagementand community life

Improving Public Services

* Better work-life balance

* Higher education standards

* Better safety in cities

* More healthy environment

Better Jobs & Work-Life Balance

* Better, high-salaried jobs

* Better life satisfaction

* Better work-life balance

SThank You.For more information, please visit

www.ideas.org.my

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