PUTRAJAYA: The government has launched the National Policy on Good Regulatory Practice (NPGRP) to improve the quality of new as well as existing regulations for a more efficient, effective and transparent public sector service delivery.

Chief Secretary to the Government (KSN) Tan Sri Mohd Zuki Ali said the NPGRP was to replace the National Policy on the Development and Implementation of Regulations (NPDIR) which was launched in 2013.

He said the government was committed to implementing Good Regulatory Practice, adding that all federal ministries and agencies should comply with General Circular No. 1/2021 related to the NPGRP distributed by the Prime Minister's Department.

"The implementation (of the NPGRP) will continuously improve the efficiency of service delivery and compliance cost savings and can reduce the burden of undue regulations on businesses and the public in general," he said during the virtual launch of NPGRP today.

Themed "Boosting Productivity through Quality Regulation", Mohd Zuki said the NPGRP emphasises the importance of the development and implementation of quality regulations in ensuring a conducive business environment for productivity growth and enhance the country's competitiveness.

He said the government had taken proactive measures to improve the country's regulatory ecosystem so that it was more agile and responsive in facing difficulties due to the COVID-19 pandemic, adding that good regulatory practices are an important element in the business environment to support the country's drive to achieve its target of 4.5 per cent in economic growth this year.

"The NPGRP implementation will strengthen rapid productivity growth and contribute to the country's economic recovery," he said.

"I urge government ministries and agencies, policy and regulatory makers and regulators to act more proactively in developing better quality regulations and reviewing existing regulations so that they lead to the well-being of the people and the prosperity of the country," he said, adding that ministries and government agencies could refer to the NPGRP handbook for its implementation.

Meanwhile, Malaysian Productivity Corporation (MPC) director-general Datuk Abdul Latif Abu Seman said the NPGRP could help boost the country's productivity and competitiveness to a higher level.

"The NPGRP approach improves the level of business productivity while at the same time ensuring an effective, efficient, and accountable regulatory system in strengthening public sector governance," he said adding that this would lead to a better economic situation and raise the quality of living for the people.

MPC is the lead agency to facilitate, advise, and ensure the comprehensive and effective implementation of the NPGRP by government institutions.

-- BERNAMA