In a written parliamentary reply, he said the government was in the final stage of drawing up the bill and had already submitted a draft to the Attorney-General’s Chambers on Aug 24.

He said the bill would be tabled in Parliament by 2022 at the latest after presentation to the Cabinet for approval before the end of this year.

An ombudsman would serve as an impartial independent body to address public complaints against government bodies.

Ismail’s written reply came in response to a question from R Sivarasa (PH-Sungai Buloh)

A similar proposal was first approved by Pakatan Harapan in 2019 as part of its reform initiatives.

The de facto law minister at the time, Liew Vui Keong, had said it would serve as a platform for the public to channel complaints and grievances against the public services delivery system and ensure the government functioned efficiently and effectively.