KUCHING: Sarawak is set to make history with the first-ever Sarawak Ombudsman Day 2025, marking a new chapter in the state’s commitment to integrity and good governance.
To be officiated by Premier Datuk Patinggi Tan Sri Abang Johari Tun Openg, the event will take place at the Riverside Majestic Hotel this Wednesday (Nov 5).
The celebration follows the enactment of the Sarawak Ombudsman Ordinance 2023, which established Sarawak as the first state in Malaysia to set up a formal Ombudsman institution.
Deputy Minister in the Premier’s Department (Integrity and Ombudsman) Datuk Dr Juanda Jaya said this year’s celebration carries the theme “Planting the Seed of Good Governance,” symbolising the government’s efforts to instil a culture of transparency, accountability and integrity across all levels of administration.
“The event will serve as a platform for knowledge sharing and collaboration among Ombudsman leaders from various countries in strengthening public governance,” he told a press conference here Monday (Nov 3).
The theme, he added, aligns with the objectives of the Post-COVID-19 Development Strategy (PCDS) 2030 to build a progressive and integrity-driven Sarawak by 2030.
Among the invited guests are the Chief Ombudsman of Indonesia, Muhammad Najib; the Deputy Ombudsman of Thailand; representatives from the Ombudsman of the Philippines; the Asian Development Bank (ADB) Philippines; and members of the Sarawak Ombudsman.
Juanda said the presence of international experts would enable Sarawak to gain valuable insights and learn how other countries manage public complaints and uphold integrity in their administrative systems.
He also asserted that Sarawak Ombudsman Day 2025 aims to raise public awareness about the Ombudsman’s role in receiving, investigating and resolving complaints related to maladministration in state government agencies.
Various sessions and forums will be held throughout the programme, including discussions on global Ombudsman practices, a session by Professor Dr Yohannes Wijantoro from Indonesia on managing public complaints and another focusing on this year’s main theme.
“The Sarawak Ombudsman Day 2025 celebration is among the state government’s key initiatives to ensure the Ombudsman institution truly benefits the people and strengthens Sarawak’s reputation as a state with high integrity,” he added.
The celebration is expected to become a key fixture in Sarawak’s integrity calendar, reinforcing the government’s aspiration to build a transparent, prosperous and well-governed state by 2030.
