Sarawak Ombudsman forge ties with Western Australia, seeks global best practices

KUCHING (Nov 15): Sarawak’s Ombudsman Office is poised to engage with the Australian and New Zealand Ombudsman Association (ANZOA) following a productive working visit to the Western Australia Ombudsman Office in Perth.

The Sarawak’s Ombudsman Office, in a statement, said the visit has yielded a key initiative from Western Australia to develop a training programme that will include personnel from Sarawak.

This collaboration will focus on enhancing complaints handling and strengthening investigative processes.

Furthermore, the Western Australia Ombudsman Office has expressed its intention to invite Sarawak to participate as an observer in an upcoming ANZOA meeting, pending approval from the association’s chairperson.

“Such participation would provide Sarawak opportunities to build professional networks, exchange views and learn international best practices in ombudsman work and public governance,” the statement read.

The visit was designed to strengthen bilateral ties and facilitate the sharing of experiences and best practices, particularly in capacity-building for managing and resolving public complaints.

Western Australia, which established the first ombudsman institution in Australia, operates independently to investigate public complaints against government bodies and recommends systemic improvements for better governance, accountability, and transparency.

“The similarities in mandate and approach between the Sarawak Ombudsman Office and its Western Australian counterpart make the cooperation timely, particularly in training and expertise-sharing related to complaints handling and public administration reform,” the office added.

Led by Deputy Minister in the Sarawak Premier’s Department (Integrity and Ombudsman) Datuk Dr Juanda Jaya, the delegation also visited Western Australia’s Equal Opportunity Commission (EOC) in Perth.

Dr Juanda was accompanied by Sarawak Chief Ombudsman Dato Sri Abdul Ghafur Shariff and officials from the Sarawak Ombudsman Office.

They were received by Western Australia’s Acting Deputy Ombudsman Brianna Lonnie, Acting Principal Assistant Ombudsman Shosana Halberg, and Assistant Ombudsman (Investigations and Resolution) Katrina. During a meeting with Commissioner Dr John Byrne, the delegation gained insights into the EOC’s complaint-handling processes, policies, and resolution mechanisms.

The tour of the EOC highlighted its complaint-centric approach, which prioritises the comfort of individuals and the safety of officers during mediation.

The office’s commitment to equality and inclusivity was also evidenced by its employment of persons with disabilities.

Discussions at the EOC further explored the role of ombudsman institutions in strengthening public sector governance and potential future collaboration to improve complaint management efficiency and public awareness.

This series of engagements underscores the Sarawak government’s commitment to building a transparent, accountable, and integrity-based governance system, aligning with the state’s aspiration to become a high-income and developed region by 2030.