Public management reform in Malaysia

Purpose The present paper seeks to examine the recent changes in public management in Malaysia in relation to new public management and assess their impacts on administrative performance and service delivery. Design/methodology/approach The scope of the paper is limited to the period of 1981 till the present date. The paper is mainly based on secondary sources of information, and it uses a combination of descriptive and analytical methods. Findings The paper shows that although reforms are steps in the right direction, their impacts so far have been modest. Despite reforms and a few improvements they have made in service provisions, the public bureaucracy in Malaysia continues to suffer from inefficiency, corruption and a host of other problems. Originality/value The paper shows the gap between rhetoric and reality of public management reforms in Malaysia. It is expected to be of great value to all those interested in public management – be they in academia or in policy circles.