Faculty of Administrative Science & Policy Studies

Universiti Teknologi MARA

DIPLOMA IN PUBLIC ADMINISTRATION (AM110)

PRINCIPLES OF PUBLIC ADMINISTRATION (PAD 102)

QUESTION 1:

A. EXPLAIN HOW IS WEBERIAN MODEL OF BUREAUCRACY IMPOSED IN

OUR SYSTEM OF GOVERNMENT? WHAT ARE THE STRENGTHS AND
WEAKNESS?

NAMAF 1A

MADE BY:

MUHAMAD ZAQWAN BIN CHE ZAINAL 2018225416

MUHAMMAD AFIQ BIN JALI 2018
MUHAMMAD AZRUL B MOHAMED AZHAR 2018

PREPARED FOR :

PN. ZARINA BINTI MOHD ZAIN

SUBMIT DATE :

1
1.0 INTRODUCTION

The word bureaucracy usually gives a negative meaning in our life. When we spoke of

bureaucracy, automatically we would imagine things like red-tape, filled form with too

much information and too details, small problems become complicated because of the rule to

be abided and others. Even though we normally equalized bureaucracy with inefficiency, but

the truth is it represents efficiency, that means, the merits are more than demerits.

Bureaucracy also can be regard as an effective way created in order to run a big

organization. The bigger and complicated a formal organization, the greater requirement

needed to control and synchronize every member’s activities. The necessities can be fulfilled

by bureaucracy, which is an authority structure operated under a rule and procedures.

Max Weber defines organization as a social mechanism that maximizes efficiency and

effectiveness in administration. That means, their managed their organization based on

personal interest. Bureaucracy is regarded as political in the sense of an institution or social

stratum which exercises autonomous political power. The theories of the state which are

considered all focus on the political power of the bureaucracy to different degrees, the most

extreme statement being that the bureaucracy has emerged as a new type of ruling class. In

this context, Bureaucracy is viewed as a political phenomenon in that it is seen inimical to

certain basic political values.

Based on this concept, after Malaysia gained its Independence in 1957; and the

administration has been reshaped and varied ever since. The employees more loyal to the

individual compare to our mission. There are two type of bureaucracy such as representative

bureaucracy and neutral bureaucracy. The bureaucracy must be based on rules and

regulation, comprehensive to guide the company. The bureaucracy shows us how the

delegation of power run the organization, based on the bureaucracy concept, the lower

manager must followed the top manager same with the main idea of delegation of power.

2
2.0 DEFINITION OF BUREAUCRACY

In public administration, bureaucracy is an organization of non-elected official who will

implement the rules, law, and function of their organization. In other words, it is a specific

form of social organization involve in administrative efforts. It is also the only tools

available to any modern government to administer. Bureaucracy also can be regard as an

effective way created in order to move a big organization.

Max Weber, the German social scientist who was the first to make a systematic study of

bureaucracy, describes it as a social mechanism that maximizes the efficiencies and

effectiveness in administration. It is describe as a social mechanism because of its nature

that needs the public administrators to work with the citizens or public based on the

government policies. For maximizes the efficiencies and effectiveness.

3.0 TYPES OF BUREAUCRACY

In the type of bureaucracy, there are two types of bureaucracy which is the representative

bureaucracy and the neutral bureaucracy. Both bureaucracies have their own distinguish

specific features in serving the society. In the representative bureaucracy, the public

administrator acts as a representative of the citizen and not and not as a neutral public

officers.

3.1 NEUTRAL BUREAUCRACY

Neutral in this context means do not support either group in dispute. Neutral bureaucracy is

a bureaucracy that neutral in term of politics. They only perform their task in order to

implement policy without involving in politics. The public officers are choose based on their

qualification and skills unlike the representative bureacracy. After they are choose, they will

be place in a department that suits with their qualification.

3
In our country, there are rules that prevent our government officers from participate actively

in politics or become member in any political parties. For example, there is a rule in Public

Instruction that forbids them from participating in politics. They have to resign if they want

to join politic.

3.2 REPRESENTATIVE BUREAUCRACY

Representative bureaucracy is based on believe that the ratio of every minority groups in

every occupation in government agency need to be equal as the percentage of the group

population in the state. For example, if the percentage of population in Malaysia is 70%

Malays, 15% Chinese, 10% Indians and 5% for other races, the member of every public

administration must be chosen according to the percentage of the group population that have

been stated. It is based on the social justice concept which the public administrators are to

represent the composition of race, ethnic and gender in the country so that the public policies

can be conducted. This is also based on principle that bureaucracy exists to provide public

services and also to offer vacancy and economic development to the citizens. In

representative bureaucracy, the public position is viewed as a right that should be divided

among every group of people in the community.

In 1948, Dwight Waldo’s discipline-changing argument that there was no dichotomy

between politics and administration implied that civil servants are political creatures. As one

modern-day author, Jresat (2002) wrote:

“If bureaucracy were always neutral in its values, always obeyed elected superiors,

and always limited its activities to the enforcement of public laws and rules, then

most controversies surrounding bureaucracy would melt away” (p.37).

4
This separation from the earlier public administration believes made it possible for public

administration scholars to consider that the socio-political appearance of civil servants also

mattered. In other words, bureaucracies, their civil services and the civil servants themselves

are not apolitical machines. Civil servants perform inseparable political tasks and discretion

is used in the performance of the tasks.

The idea behind representative bureaucracy research in America was two-fold. If we

encourage representative bureaucracy, the policies that bureaucrat help design and then later

implement will better reflect the citizenry they serve. And second, that it we wish to better

understand the discretionary outputs of civil servants, we should study the socio-political

and socioeconomic characteristics of those who filled the civil servant shoes.

The search for representation of various form of interests within public organizations are

driven largely by the belief that bureaucracy will serve democratic principles better if it

reflects the demographic characteristics of citizens (Rourke 1978). Representation of diverse

groups, in other words, helps to ensure pluralism in the implementation of public policies

and programs.

4.0 THE BUREACRACY IN MALAYSIA , AND HOW WEBERIAN MODEL OF

BUREAUCRACY IMPOSED IN OUR SYSTEM OF GOVERNMENT.

4.1 HISTORY OF BRITISH BUREAUCRACY IN MALAYSIA

The administrative system in Malaysia is historically more influenced by the administrative

concepts based on the British colonial system. Hence the public administration system in

Malaysia is a bureaucratic system inherited from British colonialism in terms of structure

and way of working within the organization. Before British colonization, it existed in

ambiguity, confusion and blurring. Prior to independence, Malaya was a listing of several

states in Peninsular Malaysia. Conflicts often occur at that point in capturing power and

5
economic resourcesThe existence of the Straits Settlements of Penang, Malacca and

Singapore and the Federated Malay States form the basis of the birth of public

administration as a result of the entry of British officials to help run the state. The

involvement of British administrators was directly included in the government's

administration at that time. As for Non-Federated Malay States, the involvement of British

officials are indirectly. Transfer Colonial Office views expressed in Public Administration

Malaya model brought from the British. The main purpose of public administration at that

time was to maintain law and peace apart from being able to exploit natural resources in the

country. The orientation of the current service that is based on need and not on providing

services to the people.

4.2 BUREAUCRACY AFTER INDEPENDENCE

After independence, the civil service still adopted the British administration model.

Considerable of power far more focused and is located on the Central Government. There is

a classification of post that make up the four categories of services Category A, B, C, D. For

the Federal Government (Center) level. Category A consists of the diplomatic and federal

administration services comprising Professional and Technical Services such as engineering,

medicine, legal and science-based services. For Category B it is composed of professionals

and administrators with two services groups namely general administration and executive

services. While the C and D categories are the support posts to be shared between the

Federal Government and the State Government. For the State Government not category

A ,state official are loan from the Federal Government and only have State Clerical services

only.

According to Abdullah Sanusi Ahmad, Norma Mansor Ahmad and Abdul Kudus (2003),

States that the administrative system of the British style formely referred to occurred

changes drastically to relect sosio-political and public service role that was functional and

6
responsibility. There are numbers of policies have been introduces to meet the needs and

provide services to citizens in starting from the main police state in the early 1960s through

the Red Book associated with the rural development, then continued with the launh of the

New Economic Policy (NEP) in the 1970s saw the public sector play an important role in

driving and delivering it. When the country entered the industrialization phase in the 1980s

saw the rise of the private sector and began working together with the public sector that is

the start of the privatization policy of the state. Over the past five decades, the civil service

has played a key role in managing key policies and addressing the events that took place

during the period.

Public administration in Malaysia has played an important role in the country's

administration, economic development, social and process of modernization of the country.

The progress we have enjoyed over the last 56 years cannot be realized without the

capabilities, dedication and professionalism of government employees (Public Bureaucracy).

According to Masitah bin Mohd Udin (2012: 1) quoting the book "The Malaysian

Bureauracy", by the fifth Prime Minister of Malaysia, Dato Seri Abdullah Ahmad Badawi

once wrote,

“...management is subject very relevant to the sosio-economic development of

Malaysia. Public adminstration, in particular, is the vehicle for the planning and
implementation of the Goverment’s policies and programmes to develop this country.
Very few works have been done this subject in the past forty years since our
Independence, least of which by Malaysian” (Abdullah Sanusi et al. 2003, p.iii)]

Indeed, this view has given rise to challenges and motivation for the study of the public

bureaucracy in Malaysia . This study focuses on the role and bureaucratic issues in

Malaysia in the effort to improve governance in the public sector.

7
4.3 BUREAUCRACY OF PRESENT DAY IN MALAYSIA.

According to Ahmad Atory Husain and Malike Brahim (d) has states that every policy,

program, plan and activity planned in the form of public policy by the government, then the

public bureaucracy is responsible for its success. Hence, from the Malaysian context, the

public sector is the main heart to the government in preserving and ensuring the interests of

the people and working to improve the well-being of the people. As such, the people-friendly

culture is launched by prioritizing the needs and wants of the people as citizens.

Excellence in the implementation of the task based on the bureaucratic concept is seen to

have a great impact not only on the organization, but also on the positive impact on the

development and progress of the country. Human capital that is always dynamic, ethical and

brilliant work culture is a requirement that needs to be applied within the organization

regardless of public or private. This approach requires a human capital that has the

qualifications and abilities or skills solely but willing workers to motivate themselves to

achieve organizational excellence in supporting the aspirations of the people.

As a consequence, the government's move by applying the "learning organization" culture is

considered as a wise move aimed at ensuring that government employees are always aware of

the latest knowledge and developments in their respective job occupations.

However, emphasis and convergence towards achieving work-effectiveness will lead to the

effects of negative behavior or weakness as a result of total grants to regulations in the

bureaucracy due to dependence on more conservative technical and approaches. In addition,

the lack of freedom in relations (depersonalization of relationships) has created conflict

between public servants and clients according to Ahmad Martadha Mohamed, Mohd Nazri

Baharom, Mohammed Ali Embi, Ruslan Zainuddin, Saadon Awang.

8
4.4 WEBERIAN MODEL OF BUREAUCRACY

Max Weber insisted on Bureaucracy with Authority. Max Weber classified Authority into

three types as the following. Firstly, The Legal Authority .A Legal authority in an

organisation is found, where organisation functions with rules, which are followed

judiciously, by every employee. Such rules have validity which is limited to the organisation.

The authority of superior is defined and it is obeyed by the subordinates. Secondly, The

Traditional Authority. Such a traditional authority is derived from the past. A person may not

have legal or formal authority, but leader or manager becomes master, by virtue of inherited

status. The people obey and accept such an authority. Most of the long established customs

& traditions lead to the emergence of such authority. Thirdly, The Charismatic Authority . A

person exercises power, due to extraordinary qualities, Charisma, heroism, magnetism, over

a large section of people and people accept such a superiority.

Based upon the analysis of the types of Authority, Max Weber, classifies his

Bureaucratic model, based upon ‘Legal Rational Authority.’ Such an authority is obeyed by

the people. Weberian Model of Bureaucracy The legal rational model of Bureaucracy is

essentially a governmental Bureaucracy, which has following characteristics :

5.0 THE CHARACTERISTIC OF BUREAUCRACY

.The characteristics which will make an organization more or less bureaucratic are firstly

that a bureaucracy consists a number of offices with fixed official jurisdiction. Such a

feature of organizations may take on considerable importance for governments concerned

with improving efficiency, so that they demand greater bureaucracy. The characteristic

makes the delegation of work run more effectively. According to Denhart (1998) has state

Weber’s characteristic of a bureaucracy is so pure that for organization or associations

would ever come close and to complete realization of all of them. Nonetheless, they stand as

9
the list of the things which everyone agrees provides the highest degree of efficiency from

among the choices for type of organizational structure. Weber`s bureaucracy theory is seen

as trying to help an organization in terms of framework of a clear and systemic flow of

organization within organization.weber has identified seven characteristics of bureaucracy in

the organization, namely ;

1) Ordinary activities that need to be carried out are done in a predetermined manner as part

of the assignment.

2) Feasibility in a particular field becomes the principle of a systematic division of labor.

there are significant differences between types of work based on feasibility.

3) Employees are subject to restrictions, systematic rules and controls in managing their

offices. All operations are implemented with a system that is consistent with the set rules.

4) There is a firmness in the use of rules on some instances based on an organizational

hierarchy.

5) The bottom part is controlled by the above party.

6) Officials authorized by the responsibilities undertaken by them.

7) The promotions system in the bureaucracy is usually done by measuring one's

achievement and seniority or both.

6.0 STREGHT OF THE BUREAUCRACY IN MALAYSIA

Here are some of the views about the main strength of bureaucracy imposed in Malaysia;

central authourity in bureaucracy make it effective in organizing, advocates for

bureaucracy have a positive views on having hierarchy in an organization . they say that since

there a chain of command , there will be specific roles and task for people involved in the

departments . This way management will be able to monitor the performance of the peoples

in lower ranks. Also , will strict regulation and policiesthat need to be observed, there is a big

posibilty that duties will be carried out in a systematic and timely manner . Following these

10
set of rules before decision making ensures choices and steps are ideal and well selected.

Secondly, Its supports the hiring of specialized officials. Supporters of bureaucracy prefer

the idea of designating appointed officials who have the educational background and

expertise on the agency they will assigned to. These bureaucrats also have the training and

skills particular to their designation. This ensures these non-elective members know what

they are doing and will be able to maximize their knowledge and apply their skills. As a

result, tasks are effectively carried out. Another point proponents express in connection with

officials having specialization is the possibility that there will always be solutions to issues

since problems which cannot be handled by an officer will be escalated to an individual who

is also competent.

Third, It follows Standard Operating Procedure. Proponents of bureaucracy look at these

formalized rules to bring about efficiency and predictability in results. In this set-up, officials

are to follow instructions and procedures step by step in handling tasks and situations. This

way, outcomes will be within the specified range.

Fourth, It sets no room for favoritism. People in favor of bureaucracy claim that with the

regulations and procedure to be followed in order to achieve results, the risks of favoring

some individuals over others will be minimal if not none at all. A scenario mentioned is one

of a student applying for a loan. There is a systematic process involved and certain

requirements to be met to get an approval. With skipping a step or one of these requirements

lacking, the process will not be able to move forward. With bureaucracy, all will be treated

fairly and will undergo the same procedure regardless of affiliation to any of the officials in

the particular agency.

7.0 THE WEAKNESS OF THE BUREAUCRACY.

11
Bureaucracy can be defined as a social organization which has specific features and structural

levels for units in an organization. If bureaucracy have their own advantages, there are also

disadvantage of bureaucracy. Max Weber describes certain types of bureaucracy in a positive

manner, describing it as an efficient form of organization than many other ways of

performing such organizational task. Here are examples of the disadvantage or weakness of

bureaucracy. The Malaysian bureaucracy is dominated by ethnic Malays. Although most are

loyal to the ruling party, civil servants have been forced to sign “good behavior”

documents that makes it easier for the government to fire them if they criticize the

government. Government officials seldom quarrel in public. Red tape and graft have been

firmly entrenched in the bureaucracy for a long time.

Employees Lost the Ability to Generate New Idea. This happens because of bureaucracy

follow on hierarchy. Where there are problems arise among lower officer and high position

officer. In hierarchy, order is given by upper officer to the lower officer. The lower officer

accepts the instruction without an opportunity to give their own opinion or ideas. Because

they still don’t have any authority to speak freely to the upper officer. The work is not

challenging because, they are given the same task and they will feel bored as they are given

the repeated work. It is routine and will only increase an officer’s skill at the same task which

is done every day. For example, when worker A just started his work at Company ABC, the

worker A given the task where he need to do proposal about financial on January. Then, he

needs to continue the task by doing the proposal about the financial on the next month. After

a year he working there, he is given the same task as last year by the manager. As he is given

the same task, he doesn’t have any ability to generate his new idea. If let say he has ability to

generate a new idea, his idea only can generate in financial department.

Next, Exploitation of Position and Power. Bureaucracy will cause the exploitation of

position exist. It is based on our respect and position among the other position officer. There

12
is also no sense of belonging; this is because of the lower officer can only receive orders.

Furthermore, they are not given encouragement in duties and the opportunity to give their

own ideas. Therefore, they are not dedicated in implementing their duties. That will also

make the misunderstanding about position between officers an issue. If this problem

happened, the employees could not cooperate each other.. misuse of power also can happen

when there are power and position exploitation so as biasness. Bias happens because of

connections and relations between people. This usually happens to the people who have more

authority in organization. For example, acceptance of students in universities based on their

qualifications. Sometimes students find it hard to be accepted in universities although

they’ve scored good results. Concern parents always wanted the best for their children and

therefore they would do anything for their children to be accepted in the quality universities.

Inside people or ‘cable’ refers to the people who works in universities and have the authority

to approve students’ acceptance. Usually, the parents who are related to these people will ask

for their help. This is called abuse of power because they make decision irrationally by

accepting the students who are not actually qualified to enter the university. Also, it is unfair

for the students who are more qualify to get into the university to be rejected.

Slow Decision Making Process, decision making is inherently a risky process because

decisions can prove wrong, unpopular or both. Slow decision making process happens

because of the red tape occurred in bureaucracy. Red tape can be defined as the collection of

forms and procedures that are tied with a red tape to earn bureaucratic approval. Since there

are many forms to be filled up, information to be collected and special cases to be solved and

approved by the superiors and all of these has to complete based on the rules and regulations

stated, red tape happens. Red tape also means excessive regulation to formal rules that is

considered bureaucratic and hinders or prevents action or decision-making. Sometimes, the

rules and the regulations provided are too ridiculous that process of completing a simple task

13
would take ages. Although, rules are created as guidance for the workers to follow but they

could also lead to unhealthy environment. For example, when a student wants to apply for a

student loan such as PTPTN, the student needs to wait for a very long time for their loan to be

approved because they have to follow the strict procedures of the process. This is because

different officers have different functions. For instance, the first officer can only check the

forms while the loan approval can only be approved by the second officer. Moreover, the

students who apply the loan also need to print out the agreement before applying the loan.

The agreement must be signed by the coordinator of their faculty.

Since all the work implemented must be strictly complied with the rules and regulations

provided, to make a relevant decision freely in any sort of special cases is out of their league

of power. This is because they cannot be tolerating with the processor or situation because the

rules set are rigid. This always happen during giving services to the citizens. That is why it is

a non responsive action. Furthermore, good personality is required among the bureaucrats. As

public servants, they must give out their best service to the citizens in order to satisfy their

needs. The Evolution of Bureaucracy, Daniel A. Wren (2004).

For instance, the office hour at any work place is from 8am- 5pm. Hazeeq, as a public servant

in an organization about to close the office when the clock strikes exactly at 5pm. Suddenly,

an old woman, rushes to the office just to pay her bills as she begs to let her bills settle.

However, Hazeeq refuses to do so and still close the office and go home. This situation shows

that Hazeeq does not have the sense of discretion towards the old woman which it is not

supposed to happen.

8.0 Conclusion

The country's development agenda will not be a reality even though it has an authoritative

and insightful leader without the support of bureaucrats or lay employees. Therefore, lay

ordination in Malaysia is seen as the main mechanism for driving progress and development.

14
This is because every basis, program, design and activity is designed in the form of a lay

basis by the kingdom, the lay bureaucracy is responsible for safeguarding it. Lay and lay

bureaucracy is a relationship that is difficult to decipher and can be managed with a little eye,

so it is not surprising if the former Prime Minister of Malaysia, Tun Dr. Mahathir (2010) also

argues that bureaucracy is something that is important because if the lay bachelor is given the

freedom to do the work they think needs to be done, the result is a messy execution. The bad

impression of the bureaucracy resulted in corruption and misery but in the same period it

became a necessity for lay officials to assess and identify their fields of work. So the best way

is to reduce the procedure and reduce the bureaucracy and at the same time ensure that lay

officials do not feel the power they have. The Malaysian public bureaucracy has its own

historical background of excellence that has brought development and progress to all

Malaysians since 1957. With the development of the Civil Service as a system, a large-scale

and dynamic bureaucracy has diversity ministries, departments and units of diverse cultural

diversity, making it more complicated and complicated.

15
9.0 REFERENCE

AHMAD MARTADHA MOHAMED, MOHD. NAZRI BAHAROM, MUHAMAD A LI EMBI, RUSLAN

ZAINUDDIN & SAADON AWANG. (2006). ASAS PENTADBIRAN AWAM . SINTOK : PUSAT
PENDIDIKAN PROFESIONAL DAN LANJUTAN (PACE).

ABDULLAH SANUSI AHMAD. (1987). KERAJAAN & PENTADBIRAN MALAYSIA. KUALA

LUMPUR : DEWAN BAHASA DAN PUSTAKA.

AHMAD ATORY HUSSAIN. (1998). REFORMASI PENTADBIRAN DI MALAYSIA . KUALA

LUMPUR: UTUSAN PUBLICATIONS & DISTRIBUTORS .

AHMAD ATORY HUSSAIN. (1990). PENTADBIRAN AWAM - ASAS PEMIKIRAN & FALSAFAH .
KUALA LUMPUR : DEWAN BAHASA DAN PUSTAKA.

K.RAMANATHAN. (1993). KONSEP ASAS PENTADBIRAN AWAM. KUALA LUMPUR : DEWAN

BAHASA DAN PUSTAKA.

KAMUS DEWAN (EDISI KEEMPAT). (2010). KUALA LUMPUR: DEWAN BAHASA DAN
PUSTAKA. DIAMBIL PADA NOVEMBER 27, 2013, DARIPADA
HTTP://PRPM.DBP.GOV.MY/SEARCH.ASPX? K=BIROKRASI

KETTNER, P. M. (2002). ACHIEVING EXCELLENCE IN THE MANAGEMENT OF HUMAN

SERVICE ORGANIZATION . UNITED S TATES: PEARSON EDUCATION, INC.

MASHITAH BINTI M OHD UDIN. (2012). REFORMASI PENTADBIRAN DI M ALAYSIA SEMASA

KERAJAAN ABDULLAH BADAWI. TESIS DOKTOR FALSAFAH . UNIVERSITI UTARA
MALAYSIA.

HTTPS ://NIKALILA . WORDPRESS .COM/2012/03/24/ TEORI-BIROKRASI-MAX- WEBER -

PENGENALAN - STRUKTUR -OBJEKTIF- KEKUATAN - DAN- KELEMAHAN -3/

16