Varia Ranah - Sorotan Ilmiah Perkhidmatan Awam

227 Varia Ranah: Sorotan Ilmiah Perkhidmatan Awam Research into the policy process is designed to ask how problems and policy solutions come to be defined, by whom, and with what effect. IDS (2006) states the following characteristics of policy process: i. Policy-making should be understood as an analytical or problem-solving process; ii. Policy-making is incremental, complex, and messy—it is iterative and often based on experimentation, learning from mistakes, and taking corrective measures. Therefore, there is no optimal policy decision; iii. Policy process involves overlapping and competing agendas which may not allow total consensus among concerned parties over what the essential policy problem is; and iv. Policy process includes some perspective at the expense of others. The policy process requires quality inputs, decision making, and feedback mechanisms to be successful. One important quality of enhanced policy is wide participation in the policy process. Social media thereby presents an opportunity to incorporate a multitude of opinions or alternatives during policy processes. Citizen engagement is crucial in directing policy to the most pertinent issues within the receiving locality (Imurana, 2014). Social Media and Public Policy Process in Malaysia In Malaysia, policy is designed generally upon the requirement of the systems, structure and the future demand of the nations. Any development of public policy must be carefully formulated by taking into consideration many factors to give an acceptable norm of satisfaction among its citizen. Horowitz (1989) argues that policy formulation in Malaysia is essentially a centrally directed exercise. While the formulation process is to some extent open to public opinion and interest group influence, it is however a relatively autonomous administrative act (Omar, 1974). Social media thereby presents an opportunity to incorporate a multitude of opinions or alternatives during policy processes Policy formulation in Malaysia is essentially a centrally directed exercise