STRENGTHENING GOVERNANCE INTEGRITY THROUGH E-PARTICIPATION: THE ROLE OF TRANSPARENCY AND RESPONSIVENESS IN MALAYSIAN LOCAL GOVERNMENT
DOI:
https://doi.org/10.35631/IJLGC.1145059Keywords:
E-Participation, Governance Integrity, Institutional Capacity, Local Government, Responsiveness, TransparencyAbstract
There is an increasing emphasis on public participation in today’s governance system as citizens are demanding a larger role in government processes and decision-making. The development of information and communication technologies (ICT) has brought about the phenomenon of e-participation as an effective tool to enable citizens to interact with government. Nevertheless, digital participation is under threat from a lack of transparency, responsiveness, and public trust. Most research so far has explored e-participation from a technology acceptance, citizen participation, and service performance point of view, neglecting the aspect of enhancing the integrity of governance. The aim of this study is to investigate the role of e-participation in governance integrity through transparency and responsiveness in the context of the local government of Malaysia, particularly Alor Setar City Council (MBAS). A qualitative case study approach was used with thematic analysis of the interviews held with 24 informants, consisting of 10 local government officers and 14 members of the public, as well as relevant literature and policy documents. The results show that e-participation can improve the integrity of governance through greater transparency and responsiveness in citizen-government interaction. However, it can only be effective if there is institutional ability and commitment to act on the basis of public input and to take steps to respond effectively. The study emphasises that e-participation is not only a medium of communication, but also a form of governance, and its role in the integrity of governance depends on institutional capacity. It makes a valuable contribution to the digital governance literature, and serves as a reminder of the need to combine e-participation with other institutional options that enable transparent and responsive local government.
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