TOPIC 2:

THE ORIGINS OF
PUBLIC
ADMINISTRATION
At the end of this chapter, students will be able to understand:

• Development of Public Administration around the Globe

• Public Administration of the Greek, Confucius & Islam
• Public Administration of the West > Europe, the United State, and the United
Kingdom
• Public Administration in East Asia

• Public Administration in Malaysia

• The Malacca Sultanate Administration
• Public Administration in Malaysia Before Independence
• Public Administration in Malaysia After Independence
 PA - GLOBE

GREEK (Plato, 400 BC)

Principle of ’ Greek PA’ – To produce a
philosopher – king
Was to ensure justice as in ‘giving everyone
his due’ is understood properly – a just and
knowledgeable ruler would rule the city state
 PA - GLOBE

CONFUCIUS (Han Dynasty, 551 – 479 BC)

 Still practice in Mainland China (with Hong Kong, and to an extent still
does), also Taiwan, Singapore, South Korea and Japan
 Centralised Principles of the Chinese (Confucius) PA system is the Imperial
civil service – ‘There is no governing by laws; there is only governing by
people’ (Elliott 2009, in Drechsler, 2014).
 Meaning: it is more important to have virtuous people in government than
to have a good system of laws’ (Tan 2011, p. 470; see Drechsler, 2014)
 Confucius PA is to produce good civil servant - ethical and accountable,
benevolent, loyal, respectful, magnanimous, kind, wise, courageous,
diligent, tolerant, filial piety and respects.
 ISLAM

 The advent of Islam began during the 7th century C.E. (652 A.H) with the
Prophet Muhammad PBUH who was both a religious and political leader and
Islamic law was implemented in all realms of life
 Principles of Islamic PA; devotion to Allah derived from the Quran, which
is the most fundamental source in Islamic law, and the sunnah (The prophet
Muhammad PBUH) statements, actions, tacit approvals, personality, physical
description, or biography., which is the second important source in Islam.
 WHY – to produce a good human being a (Khalifah)- knowledgeable,
commanding good and forbidding bad, amanah (trust), justice, shura
(consultation), brotherhood, moral and ethical behaviours, responsibility
(trustworthiness), muhasabah (accountability), motivation and others
(Drechsler 2014; Isahak, 2007; Mohamad Johdi Salleh & Nazifah Alwani , 2012; Samier, 2017)
PA of the WEST
TIMELINE 19 century 20th century Late 1960s Early 1970s
1911
ORIGIN German, France & US US US US
MAIN IDEA Rule of LAW > Modern Scientific The New Public Policy Analysis
Administration: The idea Management Administration
of Bureaucracy (1911)

CONTRIBUTORS GERMAN Frederick W. Dwight Waldo Political Scientists

1. Lorenz Von Stein Taylor incorporating (i)the analysis of
(1815-1890) ideas from the policies > practical
2. Max Weber 1864-1920 Private idea human-relations political
US – introduced the to enhance US movement and developments, the
concept of government the political main actors, &
dichotomy between operation faction of public the outcomes and
administrator and administration (ii)to find optimal
politician (Marini, 1971). solutions for
3. Frank J. Goodnow political problem
(1900)
4. Woodrow Wilson (18
5. 56 – 1924)
6. Leonard D. White
(1926)
7. 1911 Frederick Winslow
 NEW PUBLIC NEW PUBLIC SERVICE
MANAGEMENT
TIME OF EXISTENCE
1980s LATE 1990s
PLACE OF EXISTENCE
US, UK, NZ, Australia, US
Canada
MAIN IDEA
The idea of market > Citizen participation
business management
methods in public
administration /the adoption
of private sector management
concepts and styles

CONTRIBUTORS
David Osborne and Ted Janet and Robert Denhardt
Gaebler
PA - EAST ASIA
 PA – EAST ASIA
influence of PA of the
WEST (German, France,
US and UK), Confucius
and Islam –through,
TRADING, DIPLOMATIC
RELATION, MARRIAGE,
RELIGIOUS,
OCCUPATION, WAR,
POLITICAL, EDUCATION

Pan Suk Kim, 2017; Yahaya, 2010

MALAYSIA
 AN OVERVIEW OF MALAYSIA HISTORY
1262 OR 1400 establishment of Malacca
1511 to 1643 Malacca occupied by
Portuguese
1943-1795 Occupied by Dutch & British
1801 Dutch
1807 - 1818 British
1824 the Anglo –Dutch Treaty (Officiated
British occupation
1824 and 1941, the period of British
intervention
1942- 1945 Japanese Occupation
(World War II)
1946 the British Malayan Union
1948 Federation of Malaya
1957 independence
*PA in Malaysia combination of the Local tradition + Islam + the West
1957-1969 the first PM Tunku Abdul
Rahman
September 1963 federation
1963 establishment of Malaysia (Brunei,
refused to join the federation at the last
minute.)
1965 Singapore separated from Malaysia
May 1969 Racial riot
1970-1976 Tun Razak the second PM
1976-1981 Tun Hussein Onn
1981-2003 Tun Dr Mahathir
2003-2009 Tun Abdullah
2009-2018 Dato Seri Najib Tun Razak
2018 Tun Mahathir
2020 Muhyiddin Yassin.
 1980s NPM
1990s NPS & Good Governance

1801 Dutch
1807 - 1818 British
MALAYSIA 1824 Anglo –Dutch Treaty
1824 and 1941 - 1957 British – System of Bureaucracy infused 20th 1900s
21th C
2000s

20th 1900s
1511 –
Portugese - 20th 1900s
Malacca 19thC
Lorenz Von Stein (1815-1890)
Malacca 19thC 1800
Max Weber (1864-1920)
16thC 1800
1887 Woodrow Wilson
1200 1970s The New PA
1980s NPM
7th C 1990s NPS & Good Governance
Islam
BC
Post-Modern
Greek Collapes of Ottoman Empire (early 1900)
Confucius
Modern State – German
GLOBE
Middle Ages till 18thC (Europe / the West) Figure 1: PA Time Frame
Golden Ages (Islam Empire till early 1900/end of
1800

Notes: year 1900 = 20th C

  BC – end of 17th century (year 1800s)
 Refer to the figure 1, the time frame. The infusion
(kemasukan) PA of the West started only by the end
of the 18th century (year 1800). The West started to
develop only in the year 1900 (plus minus just about
PA in 1000+years) after been in the dark ages (or Middle
Ages / zaman gelap) for more than 1000+ years
MALACCA (example of life during middle ages read this article
https://www.thepatriots.asia/tahukah-anda-bahawa-tam
adun-barat-dulu-sangat-pengotor/
).
MALACCA SULTANATE ADMINISTRATION
SYSTEM
 System of hierarchy - consist
people to govern the
administration system
 The concept of PA that we have
learnt. An organization,
hierarchical systems, people,
rules and regulations for the
benefits of the people
 The Malacca Sultanate
structured in a well – defined
and organised government with
a developed administrative
hierarchy (Yahaya, 2010)
MALACCA SULTANATE ADMINISTRATION
SYSTEM ([1262] 1400 - 1511)
• Malacca: A city and A kingdom, and A
trading emporia (entreport) (Yahaya,
2010)
• Principles of PA Islamic values and
Local customs (adat) aimed for better
administration (state security, to serve
the people, diplomatic relation,
international trade). The principles
embedded in the Undang-undang
Melaka (Hukum Kanun Melaka), (ii)
Undang-Undang Laut Melaka (Maritime
Laws of Malacca) – rules and
regulations to be observed at sea.
 PA of the WEST and MALAYSIA

End of the year 1800s until now – PA of the

West
Portuguese – Latin (Andalus – used to be the world of
knowledge during the Islamic era. That’s why the
earliest people to governance around the world is
them! Then only another Western nation – Dutch,
Britain, France. What about the USA) – why US
‘image’ does not emerge around the year 1800?

That is Malacca was invaded by the Portuguese

 PA IN MALAYSIA BEFORE
INDEPENDENCE
Year Details
1511 Portuguese Economic interest– maintaining
security
1643 Dutch (invasion by Dutch Company)

1824 British (invasion by British – India Company

(Anglo – Dutch Treaty)
1942 Japan

1946 - 1957 British

(Lopez, 2001; Norma Mansor & Raja Noriza, 2014)

 PA IN MALAYSIA BEFORE
INDEPENDENCE
The British, wanting stability in order to ensure
ongoing trade and prosperity. Interested mainly in
maintaining law and order at the lowest cost possible
and ensuring balanced and low budget – Imposed the
British PA system (government system, law,
education, British Advisor, Divide & Rule Policy)

(Lopez, 2001; Norma Mansor & Raja Noriza, 2014)

 PA IN MALAYSIA BEFORE
INDEPENDENCE
1826 Strait Settelement (PP, Melaka & Singapore)
1841 James Brooke system of ‘white rajas’ in Sarawak
1874 The Pangkor Treaty – British Resident in Perak
1881 establishment of the British North Borneo Company (now
Sabah)
1896 the Federated Malay States: Negeri Sembilan, Perak,
Selangor and Pahang.
1909 the Unfederated Malay States Perlis, Kedah, Kelantan,
Terengganu, and Johor
(Lopez, 2001; Norma Mansor & Raja Noriza, 2014)
 PA IN MALAYSIA BEFORE
INDEPENDENCE
*British as a company to secure PROFIT (free market system),
eventually brought to the Western style of administration >
brought in the system of bureaucracy + divide & rule policy

1826, Straits Settlements (Negeri2 Selat) administration

system (unitary system – direct to the Queen) - rich states
British ‘golden eggs’ - Singapore, Penang and Melaka.

1841 ‘white rajas’ administration system by an Englishman

James Brooke in Sarawak (Lopez, 2001; Norma Mansor & Raja Noriza, 2014)
 PA IN MALAYSIA BEFORE
INDEPENDENCE
1874 The Pangkor Treaty – The Resident administrative system
British as the superior. Sultan was to govern Malay custom
and Islam
1896 the Federated Malay States (Negeri2 Melayu Bersekutu)
Negeri Sembilan, Perak, Selangor and Pahang, also rich
state.
1909 Perlis, Kedah, Kelantan, Terengganu, and Johor poor
states – that’s why were last to be invaded by the British. Was
placed under a system known as the colonial advisor – to
advise the Sultans (Lopez, 2001; Norma Mansor & Raja Noriza, 2014)
PA IN MALAYSIA POST INDEPENDENCE
1956 Malaynisation Policy – aim at opening PA for the locals –
Malays, and to reduce communist influence.
organised based on the Weberian model of bureaucracy (Norma,
pg. 104; James Chin, pg. 145)
1921 The Malayan Civil Service (MCS) (Perkhidmatan Tadbir
Malaya) PTD
1938 Malay Administrative Service (MAS) (Perkhidmatan Tadbir
Melayu)
Read this newspaper article about the two systems of
administration
https://www.bharian.com.my/rencana/komentar/2020/02/6599
02/kerajaan-boleh-berubah-perkhidmatan-awam-kekal
 1957-1980’s

Name Here Name Here Name Here Name Here

When? When? When? When?
Background & Focus Background & Focus Background & Focus Background & Focus
of PA? of PA? of PA? of PA?

NPM; NPS,
Good Governance
Islamic Values,
Japanese Values
 2003-2021

Name Here Name Here Name Here Name Here

When? When? When? When?
Background & Focus
Background & Focus Background & Focus of PA? Background & Focus
of PA? of PA? 100 days Tun Mahathir as the of PA?
7th PM
https://www.thestar.com.my/news/ PM Muhyiddin: The first 100 days
ISLAMIC VALUES & NPM, NPS, GOOD nation/2018/08/17/drm-full-speech-
the-100-days-of-the-pakatan-
https://www.thestar.com.my/news/nation/
2020/06/08/pm-muhyiddin-the-first-100-
NPM, NPS, GOOD GOVERNANCE harapan-govt/ days
GOVERNANCE
NPM, NPS, GOOD GOVERNANCE