Topic 1:

Introduction to Public
Policy

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Policy, FSPPP, UiTM 1
Content:
 Different uses of the word ‘policy’
 Meaning of public policy
 Category (typology) of public policy
 Meaning of some fundamental concepts in

policy study:
o Policy making and decision making
o Public problem and private problem
o Policy actors and policy makers
o Policy process (policy cycle)

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Lesson Outcome
At the end of this topic, students should be
able to:
1. Explain meaning of public policy,
2. Understand and describe FOUR categories
(typology) of public policy
3. Explain some concepts used in policy study
 Policy making and decision making
 Public problem and private problem
 Policy actors and policy makers
 Policy process (policy cycle)

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Policy, FSPPP, UiTM 3
Different uses of the word ‘policy’

‘Policy’ as word (term) is use in different way on

different occasions
 Synonyms: plans, strategy, schedule
 courses of action adopted / chosen / decided

with purpose
(use in the context of government, groups,
organization or individual)
 Proper plan of purpose on some ‘matter’ /

problems
(use to describe long term plan / scheduled
plan) example: insurance policy
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Policy, FSPPP, UiTM 4
Meaning of public policy

 An alternative courses of action taken by

government to address public problem or
matter that is important to the nation

 "Public policy consists of political decisions

for implementing programs to achieve
societal goals." (Charles L. Cochran and
Eloise F. Malone)

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Policy, FSPPP, UiTM 5
Meaning of public policy

 Policy made on behalf of a public by means

of public law that is put into effect by public
administration (Shafritzs, J. M. 2008. p. 8)

 A relatively stable, purposive courses of

action or inaction followed by an actor or set
of actors in dealing with a problem or matter
of concern (Anderson, J. E. 2011. p. 6)

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Policy, FSPPP, UiTM 6
Characteristics of Public Policy
1. Emerge in response to policy demand
2. Developed by ‘authorities’ in a polictical
system
3. Purposive / goal oriented action (not by
chance / random)
4. Formulated based on law and its authority

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Policy, FSPPP, UiTM 7
Reflection / Class activity:
Meaning of public policy – Malaysian Context:

 What is public policy?

 Why is it importance for government to

formulate and implement public policy?

 What are problems / matters that government

have addressed through policy-making?

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Policy, FSPPP, UiTM 8
Categories (TYPOLOGY) of public
policy (Refer Anderson)

Constituent Policy:

Regulatory Policy

Distributive Policy

Redistributive Policy

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Constituent Policy:

Policies that desrcibe the:

 Establishment of government
structure,
 Procedures to rule country,
 Conduct of government.

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Policy, FSPPP, UiTM 10
Types of Constituent Policy:
•Structural constituant policy
Example - the constitution (the Federal
Constitution of Malaysia) – describes the
bodies of government and their roles

•Procedural constituent policy

Example - the Election Act 1958 (Act 19) –
describes procedures to form government

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Policy, FSPPP, UiTM 11
Regulatory Policy:

Policies that limits / control behavior

of public (the individual, group,
association / business /
organization).

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Policy, FSPPP, UiTM 12
Types of Regulatory Policy:

•Self regulatory policies:

Policy that directly limit/control behavior of
individual/group
Example:
Road Transportation Act (1987)

• Law enforcement regulatory policies

Examples:
ISA, OSA, Anti-corruption Act 1997

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Policy, FSPPP, UiTM 13
Types of Regulatory Policy
•Protective regulatory policy –

Protect people from negative effects of

business. Examples:
Environment policies - air, water, waste
Drug policies – Dangerous Drugs Acts
1952

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Policy, FSPPP, UiTM 14
Distributive Policy:
Policies that allow /require government to
allocate/distribute wealth / benefit to
public at large or a particular segment of the
population. Doing so through the uses of
public funds (government revenue). The
target population/public at large gets
benefit/enjoys wealth creation/reduce
financial burden among public

Example: fuel subsidy

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Policy, FSPPP, UiTM 15
Redistributive Policy:
Deliberate action to restructure /shift
wealth/income/property and rights
among society - from those who have
to those who do not have. To
reduced / control of social disparity.

Example:
Progressive Personal Income Tax

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Policy, FSPPP, UiTM 16
Fundamental concepts in policy studies

Policy making and decision

making
• Public problem and private problem

Policy actors and policy makers

• Policy process (policy cycle)

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FSPPP, UiTM 17
Policy making and decision making

Policy-making and decision making involve

making choices from among alternative.
However, the process of making choices
between the two is not similar

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Policy, FSPPP, UiTM 18
Policy & Decision Making Differences
Policy Making:
 encompasses of a flow and
pattern of action that extend
over time and include many
decisions, some routine and
some are not so routine
 Not an isolated event (public
matters)
 many parties (groups) involve
in making policy decision
Refer policy process (policy cycle)
& any relevant theory such as
Elite Theory that explain policy
making
ADS514: Introduction to Public
Decision making
 involves making choices
from among alternatives
directed towards achieving
specified goals (personal /
organization / public goals)
 deals with the criteria and
processess (steps) in
making choices
Refer decision making process &
any relevant theory of decision
making such as Rational Decision
Making Theory
Policy, FSPPP, UiTM 19
Public problem and private problem
Public problem:
Matters public at large is
‘talking about’ , difficult
(complex) to resolve by
individual action and
require government to
take actions to resolve
Private problem:
Situation / matters where
only some individual /
groups of individual
involve and they can
resolve it easily / not
requiring governmental
action
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Policy, FSPPP, UiTM 20
Policy actors and policy makers
Policy makers Policy actors

Persons responsible Those involve in

for making policy policy making
 Political process: legislators,
executives executives,
 Special Councils administrators,
interest groups

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Policy, FSPPP, UiTM 21
Examples of policy makers: Malaysia

The Councils

‘’When Malaysia faced the Asian economic crisis back in

1997, the then Prime Minister Dr. Mahathir Mohamed called
on his old friend Tun Daim Zainuddin to head the National
Economic Action Council (NEAC) set up under the Economic
Planning Unit (EPU) to find a solution through the National
Economic Recovery Plan (NERP). On the advice of the NEAC,
the Malaysian Government pegged the Ringgit at 3.8 to the
US dollar, put in place a number of capital controls, and
undertook a number of bailouts of large firms.’’

By Murray Hunter, Guest Contributor New Mandala

– 19 February 2013

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Policy, FSPPP, UiTM 22
Policy process (policy cycle)

A sequence of activities:

 Identify policy problem

 Setting policy agenda
 Formulate policy option and recommendation
 Adopt a suitable policy option
 Implement policy
 Evaluate policy
 Change / Terminate policy

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Policy, FSPPP, UiTM 23
IMPORTANCE OF PUBLIC POLICY &
PUBLIC POLICY MAKING
 How well countries are able to adapt policies to
boost productivity and suit their own situations
 How effectively they might implement those
policies will determine their way forward on the
path to prosperity.
 The more advanced market economies suggest
that accelerated and sustained productivity
growth is essential in achieving higher living
standards.
 Greater productivity growth is likely to derive
from within-firm improvements, much as in
advanced market economies.
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Policy, FSPPP, UiTM 24
The end
Tutorial:
By referring to one public policy of Malaysia, answer the
following questions:
1. Describes the problems / issue that leads to the
introduction of the policy
2. Explain objectives of the policy
3. Describes the relevant policy actors involved in
making the policy

 THANK YOU
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Policy, FSPPP, UiTM 25