– extracted and adapted from RAKAN Sarawak January-March 2022 –
Governance at Fire and Rescue Department of Malaysia (JBPM) focuses on combating corruption and strengthening integrity in every area of its operation, management and administration, including fire safety, development, mechanical engineering and finance.
In its Organisational Anti-Corruption Plan (OACP) 2020-2024 shared to RAKAN Sarawak by JBPM Sarawak, the department states that it strives to become more accountable to its stakeholders and to operate in the interest of society as a whole through good governance, which it defines as “the practice of a system of rules and processes of an organisation being led and controlled.”
This is to ensure that JBPM can deliver professional fire and rescue services that save lives and properties for the welfare of the people effectively and systematically.
“Good governance from what I observe is not for the organisation, if we want to achieve it holistically,” said JBPM Sarawak director YS PKPjB Datu Khirudin bin Drahman @ Hussaini in an interview with RAKAN Sarawak. “It should be you (as the individual).”
It is a reminder he regularly makes to the personnel of JBPM Sarawak to practise self-governance – performing their duties without being influenced or intervened by any external authority – because every activity in the department requires such ability.
“Self-governance is something only you can realise; either you are good or bad. You cannot cheat yourself,” he stressed.
JBPM Organisational Anti-Corruption Plan 2020-2024
For JBPM in general, the establishment of a fire service with integrity is one of the great responsibilities and trusts borne and implemented by its disciplinary authority.
In carrying out the assigned functions and powers, each member of the disciplinary board and head of department must understand the laws and regulations in force.
Since 2009, the department has been implementing and updating its own integrity plan. The latest – JBPM OACP 2020-2024 – which was established on 30 January 2020 is a follow-up to the National Anti-Corruption Plan and outlines comprehensive and integrated actions in the fight against corruption.
It consists of four strategies that cover 171 initiatives which are expected to be carried out for the next five years, focusing on public sector administration, public procurement, law enforcement and corporate governance. These strategies are:
- Improving effectiveness and transparency of public procurement;
- Institutionalising the credibility of law enforcement agency;
- Strengthening efficiency of public service delivery; and
- Fostering good governance in JBPM.
Monitoring and evaluation mechanisms have also been formed to keep track of the progress of the initiatives that are being executed by all divisions and agencies in the department, in line with the OACP implementation framework set by the Ministry of Housing and Local Government Malaysia.
These mechanisms are also capable of identifying risks and gaps in carrying out these initiatives to enable every planning drawn up to be adjusted accordingly in order to reach the desired results.
To achieve the vision, mission, and goals of the OACP, the implementation of all initiatives that have been identified will be monitored and reviewed periodically.
This requires JBPM to be highly responsive towards current changes by considering the feedback, advice, and guidance from various stakeholders so that these initiatives maintain their relevance and continue to be a guide and reference for every party involved in combating misconduct and corruption.
By being committed in executing its anti-corruption plan, JBPM – through all its divisions, branches and even academies across Malaysia – aspires to produce departmental personnel who are free from corruption, malpractice, and abuse of power through the setting of specific goals, namely enhancing accountability and credibility in the department’s service delivery process.
“We try to create a situation whereby we want people who ever deal with us are confident that there is no element of bribery (in what we do). (They) don’t have to pay to get (their) services because we (the staff of JBPM) are already paid (through our salary),” Datu Khirudin commented.
JBPM Sarawak’s 5-star Achievement
JBPM Sarawak is one of five states in Malaysia that receives a five-star rating for its services throughout 2021.
The star rating is conducted based on the System Star Rating (SSR) audit that utilises guidelines set by the Malaysian Administrative Modernisation and Management Planning Unit or MAMPU.
The evaluation encompasses aspects of performance, membership, logistics management, and general management. It also takes account of quality management, revenue collection, asset care, and expenses.
Source: https://www.astroawani.com/berita-malaysia/bomba-di-lima-negeri-terima-penarafan-lima-bintang-342954
