WHISTLEBLOWING IN PUBLIC SECTOR. DOES TRUST MATTER? A CONCEPTUAL REVIEW

Abstract

Malaysia's performance in the Corruption Perception Index (CPI) underwent substantial changes, with a primary decline from 2018 to 2022. This highlights the presence of integrity and ethical concerns, particularly corruption and fraudulent behaviour displayed by Malaysian government officials, which is highly worrying. In an effort to combat this issue, the government has implemented the National Anti-Corruption Plan (NACP) and the Whistleblower Protection Act 2010, as whistleblowing is one of the most effective tools for eradicating misbehaviour. However, statistics indicate that whistleblowing rates in Malaysia are continuing to decline. Whistleblowing refers to the act of revealing unethical conduct occurring within an organisation. Whistleblowing is a highly risky behaviour that necessitates intricate decision-making processes. Consequently, there are numerous individual factors that can assist an individual in resolving this dilemma. There is a dearth of research on the methods for promoting whistleblowing among public sector employees in Malaysia. Therefore, this conceptual paper seeks to analyse prior literature in order to identify the elements that influence whistleblowing intentions. The results of this study indicate that the individual factors of public service motivation, self-efficacy, and empathy play a crucial role in determining the whistleblowing intention. Moreover, it has been revealed that trust in an organization may function as a moderating element that influences whistleblowing. This suggests that the government administration should implement strategies to promote individual factors, such as cultivating a sense of public service motivation, strengthening self-efficacy and empathy, and fostering trust among employees. These initiatives will help to increase whistleblowing rates and achieve the NACP's goal of creating a nation free from corruption while also improving Malaysia's performance in the CPI. Moreover, this study offers valuable insights to enrich the existing body of knowledge in the field of whistleblowing studies by investigating the impact of trust as a moderating factor on whistleblowing intention.