Past year answers Public Policy

بسم الله الرحمن الرحيم

Hi, these are answers for past year questions mostly did by my classmates and I. Please re-check before you use it for your references.  Thank you. 

PAST YEAR DECEMBER 2014

Question 1

1. Explain any (2) two objectives of public policy

          First of public policy of Environment Policy, 2002: Department of environment, Ministry of National Resources & Environment.

• Focus on to maintain a clean and healthy environment, other than that is to maintain quality of the environment relative to the needs of the growing population. It was more related to the what are their department are specializes and what are the responsibilities of their department that they need to achieved and provide to the citizen as it was more to solve the problem that might the public faced.

           Second is the other public policy are National Education Policy.

• Focus of producing Malaysian citizens who are knowledgeable and competent, who possess high moral standards and who are responsible and capable of achieving high level of personal well-being as well as being able to contribute to the harmony and betterment of the society and the nation at large. It this policy, it was focus to develop the educational citizens that are knowledgeable so they can be more competent in achieving high levels.

       2.Describe the (3) three effects of public policy towards the society.

• Solve the problem that was faced by society

          There are some of the problem that was faced by the society was solved by the public policy. For example, the NKRA policy was one of the                    policy that was to reduce the crime and it was successful in reduce the crime in the society since it was implemented.

• Reduce the burden of society

          Public policy can use as to reduce the burden of public that was faced by society. For example like distributive policy. The government allocate the wealth/ benefit to the public so it can reduce the burden of the public. For example like fuel subsidy. Everyone can enjoy the benefit of fuel subsidy.

• To maintaining peace and harmony

           As in the action that was taken by government with implement the policy, it can maintain the peace and harmony in the society as they have the guidelines that can be followed by the society. It can avoid chaos among the society as they have guidelines  that can guide to their action in the country. For example like Regulatory policy such as Drug policy, Anti-Corruption Act 1997 and others policy.

 QUESTION 2

A) Discuss three (3) roles of forecasting in public policy process

-Policy forecasting is a process to predict the future direction and action towards a problem as the policy agenda.

Provide  information future changes in policies and their consequences.

The policy forecasting is important as one of the process in the policy cycle because  the policy maker must consider the consequences of the policy implementation in long term view. It is vital to recognize what are the future direction of that policy and the objectives of the policy are achievable or not.

Forecasting permits the greater control through understanding the past policies performances.

It means the policy maker first should evaluate the past policies performance to ensure that the new policy that are going to propose have good consequences in a long term. It is also important to ensure that there will be no the same policy problem happen when the new policy is implemented .When the policy has the bad consequences in future, for sure it will affect the society at large.

Forecasting helps to shape the future in active manner.

The active manner means that there is  no same problem happen as in the past policies and align with the current policies. It must rational to be implemented The policy maker will think what are the strategies and action to be taken as to ensure that there is no irrespective things happen as the past policies. For example, the New Economic Policy showed some failure of that policy, so that the government forecast first before the implementation of New Development Policy as the continuous of NEP.T he objectives still  remain same but they use the different action and strategies.

B) Explain any two reasons for an issue to lose its agenda status

Appearance of the new issue and more pressing issue.

In this case, an issues will lose its agenda status because there will be new issue that more important and pressing issues rather that the previous issue. The government need to take action on the latest issue because it needed more on the government attention. The government need to think how the new issue can be settled to provide the citizen with a good satisfaction.

Gradual decline in the intensity of the public interest on it

It can be said that there are the decreasing number of public awareness and interest regarding the issues. So that, there would be no use for the government to take an action for that issue because the decline of the intensity of public interest. Sooner the issues will automatically lose its agenda status.

QUESTION 3 DEC 2014

Four characteristics of policy option that the policy actor would decide.

Intro:

Policy formulation refers to → process of formulating (drafting) or developing acceptable courses of action or option for selected policy agenda. It is a stage where acceptance policy option and their purposes are identified.

Characteristics:

i. Values

– whether it gives greater value or not

– public ready to accept the policy or not as acceptance of public might be difference

ii. Party Affiliation

– Decision consider will affect the relationship with the side or not

– Either both side agree or not and consider with the policy

iii. Public Opinion

– What is reaction of public towards the policy?

– Whether public gives positive feedback or negative feedback or comments or suggestions

iv. Constituency Interests

– Area of that would affect more with the policy, either they are okay with it or not

Conclusion

All the criteria of policy agenda is an important as actor need to consider all before they can move to another process. \

QUESTION 4

Discuss four requirements for policy requirement to be adopted for implementation.

Introduction

• The primary purposes of requirements for policy before to be adopted for implementation is to help policy maker to make effective decision and to inform policy maker whether the policy recommendation is accepted as sound advice or not
• The paper is written in a very structured form. Usually it consists of the following six components which are introduction , policy options (alternatives), analysis of policy options, policy suggestion, conclusion and also implementation suggestions.

Body

• Content of proposal – must be technically sound

• Information in the content must be relevant, (macronegative versus macropositive), reliable (observation must be precise), valid (information about policy outcomes should measure what we think it is ,measuring)

• Cost to implement policy option recommended – must be reasonable
• The cost itself must based on Cost benefit Analysis.
• Cost Benefit Analysis (CBA) is one of the techniques used to ensure efficiency in public policy decision particularly in the appraisal of alternative to solving public problem.
• CBA process:
• Step 1: analyse costs
• Step 2: analyse benefits
• Step 3: Assign monetary values (RM) to the various cost & benefits
• Step 4: Allocate discount rate to equate present value for future effects
• Step 5: Compare overall cost and benfits
• Step 6: Decide option that maximize benefits/minimize costs

• Deliberation is a critical examination of an issue involving the weighing of reasons for and against a course of action. Deliberation can involve a single individual, but the deliberative processes under discussion here involve group deliberation. Thus, we define a“deliberative process” as a process allowing a group of actors to receive and exchange information, to critically examine an issue, and to come to an agreement which will inform decision making (Fearon, 1998).eliberation

• Recommendation is politically acceptable

• Popular support/public consent - Public will accept and comply if it is implementing

• Conclusion
• With this requirement , ( policy options) paper prepared for the consideration of some group that has authority to make policy decisions, such as a cabinet, council, committee or other body pertaining to public issue.

QUESTION 5

Discuss the roles of five (5) policy implementation actors by citing relevant examples.

1. Bureaucracy

It also refers to a system of government in which most of the important decisions are made by state officials rather than by elected representatives. A role of bureaucracy is to implement of Governmental Policies and Laws. For example the government had established Integrity Institute of Malaysia. The institute functioning as to serve the coordinating mechanism for the implementation National Integrity Plan. The effort of this institute can be seen as they provide training, research, engagements with other public, private, political, and sociocultural sector and establishment of the State Institute of Integrity. Other than that, other public sector likes Royal Malaysia Police, Road Transport Department, Local Authorities, and Royal Customs Department are involved in the implementing of the policy to make it more effective and work efficiently. Basically, all the public servants in government institutions or agencies involved in the implementation of the policy either directly or indirectly as because the public sector is the principal machinery responsible for the delivery of public services to the community and country.

2. Legislature

Legislators implement policy by ensuring specific law for putting policies into effect are followed. It determines the agencies discretion by specifying or approving the uses of funds for specific policy program. Legislatives veto gives the legislature the authoritative power to exercise control over what have been done by the administrative agencies in implanting policies. Legislature is the members of Parliament that introduced the policy, decided when the policy can be implemented. For example, Prime Minister, Tun Abdullah Haji Ahmad Badawi introduced the National Integrity Plan. The brief intro about the policy made everybody, including the people become aware about it. When the debating is started, the Members of Parliament discussed what are the advantages and disadvantages of that policy.

3. Courts

There are three courts with different jurisdiction within what is known as the Superior Court. They are the Federal Court: the highest court in the land, the Appeal Court, the High Court of Malaya and the High Court of Sabah and Sarawak. Each is head by a federal judge called the Chief Justice of the Federal Court, President of the Appeal Court and Chief Judge of the High Courts of Malaya and Sabah and Sarawak respectively. The court had played an important role in justified, whose is wrong while conducting their duties. This is really hard for the government as, if not because of the courts or the judiciary body the government will hard to identify is it the public servant that involve with integrity is doing misconduct or not. Therefore, the judicial body or court plays a huge role in this policy to clarify the person that involve in this problem. For instance, in case of Chief Minister of Selangor, Dr Mohamad Khir Toyo. He was involved with a huge crisis which is he is getting the punishment by the law of 12 months jail from the court because of the abuse his duty while in his conduct to buy a land and a bungalow in 2007. Based on some cases it shows that the people that having a power will have an intention in doing misconduct while doing their task.

4. Civil Society Movements

The Civil Society Movements are including the non-governmental institutions, professional bodies, mass membership organizations and associations. It plays an important role which is to fight corruption in Malaysia. Most of them do not have specific programs of anti-corruption. However, they are very determined to fight against corruption. This can be seen as they is always campaigning for an accountable and more transparent about the policy making process. Examples of the Civil Society Movements that are actively participating in the efforts to combat corruption in the country are Transparency International Malaysia (TI Malaysia), Suara Rakyat Malaysia (SUARAM) and Malaysian Institute for Corporate Governance (MICG).

5. Community Organization

Community Organization involved variety of people in order to implement policy such as family institution, students, youth, women, minorities and of course the lower income groups in order to get their opinion about the implementation of the policy.   The role of Community Organization is to help local community to engage each other and find the solution of the issues. For example, in implementing National Integrity Plan. This policy needs to be focused on the family institutions because all the public servant will start their day at their home. Then, the attitude of people is creating at their home. If the situations surrounding the family are not good, then it will reflect the person’s behaviour at their job. Hence, to ensure this policy is good so the first steps that need to focus are in the aspect family and the society itself. If the family relation is not the strength it will lead to the unethical when doing their job such as corruption or misconduct will happen. 

QUESTION 6

a) Explain THREE (3) types of policy evaluation

1. EVALUATING POLICY IMPACT

This type of policy evaluation is used to evaluate the intended and unintended, direct and indirect, positive and negative effects from policy implementation towards society or state. Impacts are the externalities from the successfully or unsuccessfully policy implementation such as the positive or negative, direct and indirect.

For instance, assuming the implementators have implemented a policy,The Look East Policy (LEP). Its objective, to elevate the standard of industrial management as well as create a community of workers with good values and positive work ethics that can help accelerate development in Malaysia is achieved which will be the output of it. Then its intended result on the target group is also achieved which will be the outcome. In the context of implementation of LEP, the target group is the public servants and they become more productive and discipline with the implementation of the policy. Then, what happened to the society at large or to the nation or state will be the impact, for example the LEP had manage to enhance the quality of services delivered to the public.

2. EVALUATING POLICY IMPLEMENTATION PROCESS

Evaluating the means of by which a policy is delivered to target group, or the way a program is implemented. Through the process of implementation, this can assess client satisfaction and program activities. It also helps much to identify management problems if any. This types of policy evaluation also give suggestions or ideas so that the program that are carried out will become more effective in the future.

3. EVALUATING POLICY SUCCESS/FAILURE

This is the type of policy evaluation that assessing impact on the original problems addressed by the program or policy. For example, has the problems been reduced because of the program or policy. For instance, the reducing crime National Key Results Area (NKRAs) is being evaluated and the government will observe whether the statistic of crimes after the policy is reduced or not. This will determine the success or failure of the plan.

Policy evaluation may also seek to identify critical factors of success or failure so remedial actions can be made.

b) Identify any FOUR (4) problems that might rise in evaluating policy.

1. Objectives

Objectives of a plan or a policy is very crucial in order to determine the purpose of it. Basically, policy objectives that are not stated objectively or not measurable or not rank will be a frustrating task for the policy evaluators. This is because when the objectives are not clear then the criteria for the success of policy will be also unclear. However, although when the statement of objectives are specific, clear and reasonable or well stated, there are still a number of problems arise such as the relative importance of goals and objectives.

2. Side effects

There is always a side effects from a policy that would effects the success or failure of other policy. A program or policy under evaluation may be impacted by other programs or policies. Thus it may be difficult to identify the side-effects of only one program or policy. For instance, the price of cigarette become more expensive due to the rising rate of the excise duti on cigarattes starting from 4 November 2015. Therefore, many people quit smoking due to the high price but not really because of the success of policy. 

3. Data problems

Accurate and reliable data is required to measure success or failure or consequences of policy. The necessary information or data to assess the impact may be unavailable or available in unsuitable form. For instance, not all states in Malaysia kept the data in particular format. There are also several states that do not even kept the particular data. This will cause difficulties to the evaluators in order to evaluate the policy. It also may cause the data collected become error. When the data are wrong, the result will be wrong too.

4. Cost

In order to evaluate a policy, it requires a lot of costs. This is because it consists of many procedures and methods. Besides that, if the budget given to evaluate a policy is low, then this will give problems to the evaluaters. For example, if an evaluator wants to evaluate the Projek Perumahan Rakyat Miskin Tegar (PPRT)program, he has to go to all places in Malaysia that are implementing it then the program finally can be declared as a success or not.  It may take as much as 1% of the total program cost especially if sophisticated method are used, for example by using  the experiment to evaluate a policy. It can be a diversion from the delivery of the policy or program.

Question 7                                                                                                                

Write short notes on the following concepts in public policy analysis:

A) AGENDA SETTING ACTIVITY

a

  

• ·         The politics of selecting issue for active consideration.
• ·         Process of choosing which issue to select and consider actions and plan of actions to resolve issue
• ·         The process by which problems and alternative solutions gain or lose public and elite attention.
• ·         Agenda is set once policy window open and there are 3 streams for policy window to open which is problem streams, policy-proposal streams and politic streams.
• ·         Problem stream is comprises of matters by which policy player demand action to resolve.
• ·         Policy-proposal streams is comprises of alternative to solve problem which is alternative are proposed by policy advocacies.
• ·         Politic streams is comprises of political action and decision towards public matters.  For examples, campaign by interest group and election result.
• ·         The three routes will converge and policy will open. Once policy window is open, agenda is set.

b)    NATURE OF PUBLIC PROBLEM

• ·         A public problem is a condition that at least some people in a community view as being undesirable.
• ·         If people believe that an issue is normal than it is not considered as public problem.
• ·         For example, LGBT is considered as public problem among Malaysian society because it contradicted with religion and culture.
• ·         The way government responds to the earthquake also known as public problem.
• ·         Public problem is appropriate or worthy for government to take action.
• ·         Condition must be defined as problem and articulated by someone and brought to the attention of the government.

c)   DISCRETIONARY AGENDA

• ·         Discretionary is the action that has been taken by government towards the issue in institutional agenda.
• ·         Discretionary also known as having or using the ability to decide at one’s own discretion.
• ·         Discretionary function is “an action that involves room for policy judgment or the responsibility for deciding the adaptation of means to an end, and discretion in determining how or whether the act shall be done
• ·         Other than that, it is relate on how government want to react and respond to the issue.
• ·         In order to determine whether conduct falls within the discretionary function exception, the courts must apply a two-part test established
• ·         The discretionary function exception protects only broad policy-based actions or decisions by government employees.

d) TOP DOWN POLICY IMPLEMENTATION

·         
Carrying out a policy decision by statute, executive order or court decision

·         Policy rules and regulations are set at higher levels in a political process and are then communicated to subordinate levels which are then charged with the technical, managerial, and administrative tasks of putting policy into practice. 

·         In a federal system - The top-level officials at the federal level establish policy rules and regulation & working a way down to state and local level

ADVANTAGES

• Clear and consistent goals
• Knowledge of pertinent cause and effects
• Clear hierarchy of authority
• Rules established at the top and policy is aligned with the rules
• Resources / capacity to carry out the commands from the top

Disadvantages

• Fails to consider the significance of actions taken earlier in the policy-making process
•  Ignore or eliminate the political aspects of implementation. The legislation “often requires ambiguous language and contradictory goals” in order to gain enough votes for passage
• Top-down approach see the “statute framers as key actors,” compared to lower level officials

e) POLICY EVALUATION

DEFINITION :

·         Involves the estimation, appraisal, or assessment of a policy, its content, implementation, goal attainment, and other effects

PURPOSE OF POLICY EVALUATION

·         
To access policy achievement

§  To check the policy effects in general or of the respective ministries or departments

·        
To access policy consequences

§  Whether a policy has other effects or not

§  Who gets benefits and bear cost directly and indirectly

·       
  To suggest policy change

§  To suggest policy recommendation

§  To find out whether the policy is necessary, valid, and efficient

·        
To suggest policy termination

§  To suggest to stop implementing policy

§  To find out whether the policy is still relevent