DEVELOPING A CITIZEN-CENTRIC PERFORMANCE EVALUATION FOR STATE LEGISLATIVE REPRESENTATIVES IN MALAYSIA

Authors

DOI:

https://doi.org/10.35631/IJLGC.1144007

Keywords:

Civic Engagement, Democratic Accountability, Legislative Representatives, Participatory Governance, Performance Evaluation

Abstract

This paper develops a conceptual framework for a citizen-centric performance evaluation system for state legislative representatives in Malaysia. This study does not present a finished scorecard. It does, however, clarify the framework’s purpose, scope, and operational logic so that it can later be tested and adapted. The framework responds to a governance gap in which election-based accountability and formal oversight alone provide only episodic, incomplete, and weakly visible information about representative’s responsiveness, constituency service, and transparency. Drawing on social accountability scholarship, participatory governance theory, and performance management literature, the paper integrates these perspectives into a four-dimension model organized around constituent service effectiveness, legislative responsiveness, transparency, and accountability. Citizen input is envisioned through structured surveys, public forums, and digital feedback channels, with responses aggregated and interpreted alongside formal legislative records and oversight findings. The paper concludes by outlining implementation, validation, and institutional design considerations for a citizen-led evaluation initiative.

Downloads

Download data is not yet available.

References

Abdul Manaf, H., Mohamed, A. M., & Harvey, W. S. (2022). Citizen perceptions and public servant accountability of local government service delivery in Malaysia. International Journal of Public Administration, 46(12), 823–832. https://doi.org/10.1080/01900692.2022.2025829.

Alasiri, F., Dąbrowski, M., Forgaci, C., & Rocco, R. (2025). Evaluating the capacity of local authorities in implementing participatory urban planning: The case of Khobar City, Saudi Arabia. Urban Governance. Advance online publication. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.ugj.2025.09.005.

Ardanaz, M., Otálvaro-Ramírez, S., & Scartascini, C. (2023). Does information about citizen participation initiatives increase political trust? World Development, 162, 106132. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.worlddev.2022.106132.

Arnstein, S. R. (1969). A ladder of citizen participation. Journal of the American Institute of Planners, 35(4), 216–224. https://doi.org/10.1080/01944366908977225.

Binti Abu, N. ’Asyiqin, Ahmad Zazili, A. S., Nordin, E. N., Hussain, W. S., & Basri, S. A. (2024). Assessing the Impact of Public Accounts Committee (PAC) Reports on Government Accountability. Information Management and Business Review, 16(2(I), 137-150. https://doi.org/10.22610/imbr.v16i2(I).3813.

Bovens, M. (2007). Analysing and assessing accountability: A conceptual framework. European Law Journal, 13(4), 447–468. https://doi.org/10.1111/j.1468-0386.2007.00378.x.

Fischer, F. (2012). Participatory governance: From theory to practice. In D. Levi-Faur (Ed.), The Oxford handbook of governance (pp. 457–471). Oxford University Press.

Fox, J. (2015). Social accountability: What does the evidence really say? World Development, 72, 346–361. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.worlddev.2015.03.011.

Hemmen, A. (2025). Is it worth posting? Testing the influence of state legislators in simulated social media. State Politics & Policy Quarterly. Advance online publication. https://doi.org/10.1017/spq.2025.10011.

Hout, W., Wagner, N., & Demena, B. A. (2022). Does accountability enhance service delivery? Assessment of a local scorecard initiative in Uganda. World Development, 158, 106011. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.worlddev.2022.106011.

Lokman, F. R., Ismail, M. T., & Annuar, S. N. S. (2024). Online political participation in Malaysia (2022–2024): A structured review. International Journal of Law, Government and Communication, 9(38), 528–546. https://doi.org/10.35631/IJLGC.938035.

Mabillard, V., & Zumofen, R. (2025). A mixed-method approach to evaluating citizen engagement on government social-media pages. Media and Communication, 13, 10354. https://doi.org/10.17645/mac.10354.

Neshkova, M. I., & Guo, H. (2012). Public participation and organizational performance: Evidence from state agencies. Journal of Public Administration Research and Theory, 22(2), 267–288. https://doi.org/10.1093/jopart/mur038.

Papp, Z. (2022). The evaluation of the district legislators’ performance affects citizens’ satisfaction with democracy: The Hungarian example. Political Studies Review, 21(4), 743-760. https://doi.org/10.1177/14789299221118175.

Rogers, S. (2023). Accountability in state legislatures. The University of Chicago Press.

Shin, B., Floch, J., Rask, M., Edgar, C., Berditchevskaia, A., Mesure, P., & Branlat, M. (2024). A systematic analysis of digital tools for citizen participation. Government Information Quarterly, 41(3), 101954. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.giq.2024.101954.

Waddington H, Sonnenfeld A, Finetti J, Gaarder M, John D, Stevenson J. Citizen engagement in public services in low- and middle-income countries: a mixed-methods systematic review of participation, inclusion, transparency and accountability (PITA) initiatives. Campbell Systematic Reviews. 2019; 15:e1025. https://doi.org/10.1002/cl2.1025.

Yaghi, A., Aboelwafa, T., & Al Ahbabi, A. (2025). Exploration of principal–agent theory in a consultative policy-making context. Humanities and Social Sciences Communications, 12, 1419. https://doi.org/10.1057/s41599-025-05648-4.

Downloads

Published

11-06-2026

How to Cite

Merican, F. H. M. W., Singh, K., Augustine, E. C., Kipli, N. A., Samasu, N. F., & Ingai, R. (2026). DEVELOPING A CITIZEN-CENTRIC PERFORMANCE EVALUATION FOR STATE LEGISLATIVE REPRESENTATIVES IN MALAYSIA. INTERNATIONAL JOURNAL OF LAW, GOVERNMENT AND COMMUNICATION (IJLGC), 11(44), 107–117. https://doi.org/10.35631/IJLGC.1144007