Rationale and Objectives

RATIONALE
Sabah is a developing State within Malaysia. As such the Sabah State Government has to be responsive and accommodative to the various divergent expectations and demands of the people, while ensuring that the State's scarce resources are optimally used and equitably distributed. For this purpose, the Sabah State Government needs objective advice and second opinion based on independent research and analyses to supplement and complement its existing sources of information and research capabilities. Therefore, IDS was created to assist the Sabah State Government to tap ideas and opinions, and also to analyse public policy proposals before they are implemented. In this way, the Sabah State Government can enhance the quality of its decision-making process and thereby improve its policies and programmes for the overall benefit of the State, the nation and the people.

OBJECTIVES
The fundamental objective of IDS is to promote and develop research-based decision-making process in government with regard to policy formulation and implementation. To achieve this objective, the Institute performs the following functions :

• Conducts problem-solving research on administrative and socio-economic development, and submits policy proposals to the government for consideration;
• Analyses and evaluates policy proposals submitted by the public and presents recommendations to the State Government for possible implementation;
• Organises seminars, forums and discussions with the aim of tapping public opinions on problems and issues which can affect socio-economic development in Sabah; and
• Maintains a high quality information system.