Kuala lumpur: The Government Service Efficiency Commitment Act 2025 (Act 867), known as the ILTIZAM Act, has been introduced as a legal framework to bolster efficiency, transparency, and integrity across the public sector and is expected to gradually improve Malaysia's standing in the Corruption Perceptions Index (CPI).

According to BERNAMA News Agency, Public Sector Reform Division director at the Public Service Department (PSD) Syuhaida Abdul Wahab Zen said the implementation of the act is already positively impacting Malaysia's CPI score, noting that the law bolsters plans for a world-class, transparent civil service, significantly boosting confidence among the public, businesses, and investors.

"We cannot say that the ILTIZAM Act alone has contributed to the rise in the country's CPI score. However, we see its impact in terms of boosting the confidence of the public, investors, and the business community when there is a clear legal framework and a government commitment to continuously improve service delivery... this impact will happen gradually and not overnight," she recently told Bernama.

Syuhaida said the ILTIZAM Act represents the government's commitment to transforming public service delivery through a legal framework that aims to make services more efficient, transparent, and relevant to current developments.

According to her, the Act focuses on three key areas: improving efficiency, strengthening integrity, and ensuring government services remain more dynamic and agile in line with technological advancements.

"Efficiency involves cutting unnecessary processes to speed up services for the public. Integrity requires policies and regulations to be implemented transparently and guided by good values, while being dynamic means government services must continue adapting to changing needs," she said.

She said the ILTIZAM Act is unique because it establishes a legal framework for all government entities, making service delivery improvements mandatory rather than optional.

Under the Act, ministries and government agencies will reassess their work processes every three years to identify improvements, including streamlining outdated procedures, increasing digital adoption and accelerating decision-making.

"This approach not only reduces time and costs for the public, but also strengthens confidence in the government's ability to deliver services that meet current needs," she said.

She said all ministries and government agencies must submit service performance reports evaluated across three key dimensions: organisational management, digitalisation and the effectiveness of public service delivery.

"The reports will not only be evaluated, but also presented to Parliament. This means the information will be available to the public and other external stakeholders," she said.

She said the Bureaucratic Red Tape Reform Initiative (RKB) has been strengthened under the ILTIZAM Act through a more defined legal framework.

"RKB and the ILTIZAM Act complement each other. While RKB was already in place, the Act now provides a wider legal framework to support it," she said.

She said digital transformation is a key pillar of the ILTIZAM Act, helping reduce interactions that may raise integrity concerns.

"Digitalisation is crucial as it allows people to engage directly with the government without intermediaries. Providing services online can also help reduce perceptions of corruption," she said.

Syuhaida also said digital services introduced by agencies such as the Road Transport Department and Immigration Department have demonstrated that faster, more transparent processes can reduce dependence on agents and curb potential abuse of power.

On compliance, she said the ILTIZAM Act focuses more on transforming work culture than on punitive measures.

"The Act is intended to motivate civil servants to improve their performance, not to punish them. However, existing administrative and disciplinary measures remain applicable to those who fail to fulfill their duties," she said.

She said the approach is aimed at creating a more efficient, transparent and accountable public service, strengthening public trust and improving Malaysia's future standing in the CPI.

The ILTIZAM Act, effective from Dec 1, 2025, reflects the MADANI Government's commitment to reducing bureaucracy and speeding up public service delivery through structural reforms and ongoing improvements.

It was introduced as a strategic step to tackle bureaucratic red tape, overlapping regulations and regulatory burdens that have long posed challenges for citizens and businesses in dealing with government agencies.