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Topic 2:
Structure and Environment of Public
Policy-making (Malaysia and US)

ADS 514: Introduction to Public Policy, FSPPP, UiTM

Structure and Environment of Public Policy-

making (Malaysia and USA)
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ADS514: Introduction to
Public Policy, FSPPP,
UiTM

Content:
Policy-making structure
• Political system of Malaysia and US
o Government institutions and agencies involve in
policy-making
o Policy making official and non-officials
• Policy-making environment and their challenges
o Social structure (class system / ethnic diversity)
o Economic system
o Political culture
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ADS514: Introduction to
Public Policy, FSPPP,
UiTM

Lesson Outcome
At the end of this topic, students should be able to:

1. Describes political system of Malaysia and USA in

relations to policy-making
2. Identify government institutions and agencies of
policy-making
3. Outline policy-making officials and non-officials
4. Describes the major factors that influences and shapes
policy-making
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ADS514: Introduction to
Public Policy, FSPPP,
UiTM

References
Aderson, J. E. (2011): Chapter 1
For Malaysian Political System and Government,
refer the following:
INTAN, (2006) Pentadbiran & Pengurusan Awam
Malaysia
INTAN, (1991) atau (1994) Malaysia Kita
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ADS514: Introduction to
Public Policy, FSPPP,
UiTM

Introduction
Policy-making is closely related to economy, social
and political system of a country (state).

These systems provides framework, and power for

government to develop and formulate public policy.

These system also determine the structure of

decision making process and power of a country in
making policy
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ADS514: Introduction to
Public Policy, FSPPP,
UiTM

Political system & Policy Making

• Political system is a system of politics and
government.
• Political system regulates and governs policy-
making
• Political system determines policy-making
structure and power
• Policy is made by ‘authorities’ in a political
system.
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ADS514: Introduction to
Public Policy, FSPPP,

Political system of Malaysia

UiTM

Components Characteristics Implications

Towards Policy
Making
Type of Political Federal Constitutional Monarchy Example:
system Political system of
Type of Parliamentary Democracy Malaysia allow federal
Government and state government
to make policy
Political party Multi-party decision at their
Coalition government respective level but
Head of State Yang di-Pertuan Agong (YDPA) federal policy is
superior and state
Head of Prime Minister have to follow if the
Government policy is made within
the scope of the
Political influence Malaysian politics is highly Federal List
influence by multi-ethnic society,
media, and NGO

Politics and political system of Malaysia
Example:
The system provide
authority for making policy
decision to the Monarch
and PM
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ADS514: Introduction to
Public Policy, FSPPP,
UiTM
• The Malaysian politics is based on a
federal constitutional monarchy, in
which the King is head of state and the
Prime Minister is the head of
government.
• Executive power is exercised by the
federal government and the 13
state governments.
• Legislative power is vested in the
federal parliament and the 13 state
assemblies.
• The judiciary is independent of the
executive and the legislature, but the
executive maintains a certain level of
influence in the appointment of judges
to the courts.
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ADS514: Introduction to
Public Policy, FSPPP,
UiTM

Political System of the USA

Components Characteristics Implications
Towards Policy
Making
Type of Political Federal Constitutional Example:
system Republic Political system of US
provide almost
Type of Government Representative Democracy absolute authority to
Political party Two-party the President to make
policy decision
Head of State President
Head of Government President
Political influence US politics is highly
influence by interest groups,
media, and lobbyist
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ADS514: Introduction to
Public Policy, FSPPP,
UiTM

The structure of US political system defined the decision-making

(policy-making) structure to the 3 bodies of government independently
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ADS514: Introduction to
Public Policy, FSPPP,
UiTM

Government institutions involved in policy-making

The political system adopted in Malaysia & USA provides policy-
making power and authority to the following institutions:
Name of Malaysia USA
Institutions
Legislative Parliament: Congress:
YDP President
Dewan Negara Senate
Dewan Rakyat House of Representative

Executive Prime Minister President

Cabinet Cabinet
Cabinet Committee Cabinet Committee
Government Agencies Government Agencies

Judiciary Federal Courts Supreme Court

Courts of appeals Chief Courts
Special Courts of Jurisdiction
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ADS514: Introduction to
Public Policy, FSPPP,
UiTM

Government agencies involve in policy-

making
The adopted political system allocates policy-
making power / authority / roles / functions to the
following agencies:

the administrative executives departments,

independent agencies, and other boards,
commissions, and committees
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ADS514: Introduction to
Public Policy, FSPPP,
UiTM

Examples of government agencies (MALAYSIA)

Name of Examples Examples of roles
Agencies in policy -making
Ministries Kementerian Pembangunan PNS, MARA or Jab.
Usahawan dan Koperasi Pembangunan Koperasi may
formulate policy, and
Departments / Jabatan Pembangunan recommend policy proposal
Agencies Koperasi Malaysia to its minister. Minister will
Lembaga Perlesenan propose it to the cabinet.
Kenderaan Perdagangan
PNS may involve in
Public Corporations Majlis Amanah Rakyat structuring policy problem -
(Statutory Bodies) (MARA) collect data and defined
Maktab Kerjasama Malaysia public problem within its
scope of responsibility

Public Corporation Perbadanan Nasional Berhad

(Non-statutory (PNS)
bodies) UDA Holdings Berhad
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ADS514: Introduction to
Public Policy, FSPPP,
UiTM

Policy-making officials and non-

officials
Public policy-making is a complex process. It
involves many participants with different roles,
interests, and resources. Two main groups of
policy making participants are:

▫Official actors
▫Non-official actors

Policy-making officials and non-officials
Officials policy makers
(official actor):
o They directly involve in policy-
making process
o They possess authority to
make policy
o Examples: heads of executive
departments / agencies and
members of government
institutions
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ADS514: Introduction to
Public Policy, FSPPP,
UiTM
Non-officials (un-official)
policy makers (non-official
actor):
o They participated in the policy-
making process and play
important roles
o They do not possess legal
authority to make policy
decision
o Examples: interest groups,
political parties, and individuals
citizens / groups
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ADS514: Introduction to
Public Policy, FSPPP,
UiTM

Notes:
Policy-making officials and non-officials and
government institutions / agencies in the
context of political system is well described by:

The Traditional & Neo-institutional Theory of

policy making
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ADS514: Introduction to
Public Policy, FSPPP,
UiTM

Examples of policy-making officials (MALAYSIA)

Name of Policy Main Policy- Making Examples of policy
Making Agencies Officials making roles
Parliament Senators, members of Dewan Deliberate policy
Rakyat/Dewan Undangan Negeri proposals

Executive Ministers
Ministries Ketua Setiausaha Kementerian Formulate policy

Department of Prime Ketua Setiausaha Negara (KSN)

Minister
Federal and States Head of Departments Defined public problem
Departments officers Formulate policy
/Agencies
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ADS514: Introduction to
Public Policy, FSPPP,
UiTM

Policy-making Environments
and their Challenges
Why does a public policy Policy-making
work for a country better environments are factors /
than for almost anyone
else? elements that play major
role in determining and
Because the policy has shaping policy of a
been formulated base on
the uniqueness of the country. They include:
basic values, believe and • Social structure
structure of social,
economy and politics of a • Economic System
country effectively • Political Culture
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ADS514: Introduction to
Public Policy, FSPPP,
UiTM

Notes:
For hypothetical
explanation of
how policy
environment
shaped policy-
making and their
challenges, refer:
Political system
theory
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ADS514: Introduction to
Public Policy, FSPPP,
UiTM

Social Structure
Malaysia:
 Multi-ethnic
 Multi cultural
 Multi lingual

Challenges?
To formulate policy
that is acceptable by
different races /
classes
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ADS514: Introduction to
Public Policy, FSPPP,
UiTM

Economic System
Economic system determine who is
eligible to make decisions (policy)
over economic activities

Economic system shape policy

making to determine who shall get
what and how much within the
political & social system practiced

Malaysia: Mixed economy

US: Free market / enterprise Little

involvement of Government in
regulating and guiding the U.S.
economy

Challenges?
• Changes in the economic factors
• Changes in public demand
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ADS514: Introduction to
Public Policy, FSPPP,
UiTM

Political culture
Meaning Political culture and policy

• Political culture helps define

• Political culture is the dos and
political roles, expectations and
don’t of the political life:
objective, thus it helps to
• It is the shared beliefs, values, determine and legitimize public
and norms that define the policy
relationship between citizens
and government, and citizens
to one another.
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ADS514: Introduction to
Public Policy, FSPPP,
UiTM

Example: American Political Culture: Core Values • A country's

political
Liberty: the right to be free, as long as another's rights culture can
aren't abused. help make
Equality: "equality of opportunity," not absolute equality.
sense of:
Democracy: Elected officials are accountable to the
people. Citizens have the responsibility to choose their o the way
officials thoughtfully and wisely. government of
Individualism: The individual's rights are valued above a country is
those of the state (government); individual initiative and designed,
responsibility are strongly encouraged. o the political
The Rule of Law: Government is based on a body of law decisions its
applied equally and fairly, not on the whims of a ruler. leaders make.
Nationalism: most Americans are proud of their past o the public
and tend to de-emphasize problems, such as intolerance or policies its
military setbacks. leaders make
Capitalism beliefs in the rights to own private property
and compete freely in open markets with as little
government involvement as possible.
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ADS514: Introduction to
Public Policy, FSPPP,

The end
UiTM

‘Public policy introduced and

implemented in a particular state is a
reflection of its fundamental systems
of politics, economy and social adopted
and practiced’

Thank you