KUALA LUMPUR, Nov 3: Malaysia must evolve from a culture of “planning excellence” to one of “delivering excellence” to ensure that its numerous national policies translate into tangible results and real impact for the people, said Higher Education Minister Datuk Seri Dr Zambry Abd Kadir.
He said that while the country has never been short of well-crafted visions and strategic blueprints, it often falls short when it comes to effective implementation, a challenge that must be addressed to ensure national progress.
“I was told that we are one of the best countries in terms of coming up with the best blueprint. And, to be fair, many of these ambitious documents have been thoughtfully crafted by experts and benchmarked globally.
“Yet, if we are honest with ourselves, we must ask: why is it that, although we plan well, we often fall short when it comes to implementation and outcomes? Many promising policies stall somewhere between Cabinet approval and community impact,” he said in his opening speech at the International Conference on Public Policy and Leadership (ICPPL) 2025 at Universiti Malaya here today.
Themed “Megatrends and Future Directions in Public Policy, Leadership and Sustainable Development,” the three-day event, which runs until Wednesday, brings together policymakers, scholars, industry leaders and public policy practitioners to engage in forward-looking discussions on the pressing challenges and opportunities shaping governance, leadership and sustainability in a rapidly evolving world.
Also present were Universiti Malaya Vice-Chancellor Prof Datuk Seri Ir Dr Noor Azuan Abu Osman and PEMANDU Associates president and chief executive officer Datuk Seri Idris Jala.
To overcome these challenges, Zambry called for a fundamental cultural shift towards a “delivery mindset”, where the focus is not just on launching initiatives but on managing them to completion with clear accountability.
Among other things, he stressed the need for a shift from policy announcements to disciplined project management, where every major policy must have a dedicated team, measurable outcomes, timelines, milestones, reporting routines and learning loops to ensure initiatives are actively managed rather than just launched.
Zambry also emphasised the need to break free from working in silos in favour of shared accountability, noting that public policy is a shared enterprise requiring collaboration and cooperation amongst agencies.
Meanwhile, Idris Jala, in his keynote address, discussed the public policy implications of current global trends, such as an ageing population, countries struggling with debt crises, as well as regulations on artificial intelligence (AI).
On the question of whether AI should be further developed during the question-and-answer session, Idris said the public must be educated on how to use the technology responsibly and avoid misuse.
— BERNAMA