Budgetary Mismanagement: A Qualitative Study of the Malaysian Public Sector

Abstract

The public gets flabbergasted with various issues of budgetary mismanagement that keeps surfacing over the years in the public sector. The Auditor General Reports have highlighted three core issues of budgetary mismanagement which regularly surround the public sector-especially in overspending, shortfall and bunching expenditure. The public sector's budgetary management remains dreary despite the numerous efforts and initiatives employed by the government to improve its performance. Indeed, it is obvious that some of the initiatives and efforts introduced have proven less potent in bringing any significant wave of change in the public sector's budgetary management. This study aims to explore numerous factors that lead to the persistent prevalence of budgetary mismanagement in the public sector. Six federal government institutions were selected, while interviews and focus group discussions were conducted as platforms to obtain the relevant feedback from 28 public officials who were directly involved in budgetary management. To comprehend further, the contextual descriptions which influence the performance of public organisations from both mechanical and behavioural perspectives are also discussed.

Development journalism and revitalisation of familism in Malaysia

“…This financial dependence may signal parents' confidence in the existing social norm of familial piety and also a lack of financial preparation for their future. Hamid and Tyng (2017) argue that only a handful of Malaysians have made adequate preparations for old age, with others leaving it to chance or fate because they do not know how to prepare. However, despite the availability of social welfare services for elderly people, very few articles mentioned the role of the government in taking care of elderly Malaysians.…”

The Conceptualization of COWB Model Towards Women’s Financial Security

“…A retiree who encounters a situation of disastrous financial trouble may well have been able to implement a saving plan during their employment, but they failed to do so (Hershey et al, 2007). The majority of Malaysians over 60 are unprepared to confront future financial shocks, as revealed by previous research (Hamid & Chai, 2017). They were found to suffer from insufficient assets and resources to maintain their retirement lifestyle (Saieed, 2017).…”

Appraising A Sense of Community in Designing Senior Housing for Elderly Quality of Life

“…b) Uninteresting built-form design contributes to a lack of social connection needs and affects elderly psychological development (Ismail & Zamry, 2020) Currently, there are only nine homes for the older persons directly under the Department of Social Welfare management and financed by the Government, and these homes, known as Rumah Seri Kenangan, are located throughout the country (Hamid & Tyng, 2017). The objective is to provide proper care and protection for the needy elderly, treatment, and better quality of life.…”

“…Even though activities and programmes are provided in these institutions like health services and therapy, religious studies, skill training, economic empowerment programme, lifelong learning, indoor and outdoor games, and recreational activities, further improvement is needed to better the living environment. The Ministry of Women, Family and Community Development has also established two homes for the chronically ill known as Rumah Ehsan (Hamid & Tyng, 2017). This home's objective is to provide a comfortable and tranquil surrounding, care, treatment, and shelter for those who are not self-sufficient and those with chronic illnesses.…”