CAREER OF RECORD MANAGER : FROM MALAYSIA PERSPECTIVES
BY ALWI MOHD YUNUS
Abstract
Government departments and other organizations create and receive records in the
course of their business transactions. They are responsible for managing their
information in a way that allows them to conduct agency business; ensure agency and
government accountability; protect the rights of all stakeholders, including the public;
and identify records with archival value. Organizations now face the phenomenal
explosion of records due to the increase in economics, and social activities. This
problem has been compounded by the shift to electronic systems or e-government,
which results in the increasing amount and proliferation of electronic records. There is a
keen interest in the records management discipline and records management as a
career in Malaysia now than ever, which has paved the way for more discussions,
renewed policies and Government undertakings in the discipline as well as its
implementation in government agencies. Records Manager is a new, emerging career
in Malaysian administrative system. It is the job of the records manager to provide
efficient access to the right information to support decision making, for operational
purposes, as evidence of policies and activities and for litigation support, meet legal
obligations for the creation and retention of paper and electronic records, maintain
operational efficiency by controlling the volume of records created and stored identify
those records to be preserved for historical and research purposes and eliminate the
rest as early as possible.
Keywords; records manager, archivist, administrative structure, records management,
archive management, government agency2
1. Introduction
Every day we are bombarded with information. It comes to us via the mail, over
telephone lines and across computer networks. If we are to put it to good use it
must be organized in some ways. It is the job of the records manager to provide
efficient access to the right information to support decision making, for
operational purposes, as evidence of policies and activities and for litigation
support, meet legal obligations for the creation and retention of paper and
electronic records, maintain operational efficiency by controlling the volume of
records created and stored, identify those records to be preserved for historical
and research purposes and eliminate the rest as early as possible.
Mismanagement of these records affects, not only the effectiveness of the
administrative machinery but also may lead to their irrecoverable loss of the
nation’s history. At this critical juncture, the need for qualified records managers,
supported by trained personnel is regarded as crucial.
“Records are the memory of agencies’ activities, the asset that must be
managed systematically so that it can be fully utilized. Records
management program can only be effectively implemented with the
training of the qualified records managers.”
Raja Abdullah Yaacob
Records managers achieve these goals in many ways, including; designing
systems, analyzing business processes, designing business classification
schemes, undertaking records surveys, establishing retention schedules,
designing and running record centers and devising business continuity policies.
They are dynamic professionals, interacting with senior managers in their
organizations to improve efficiency and to help ensure the preservation of the
archives of the future.
2. Background
Malaysia gained its independence since 1957. The rapid economic development
has led to the creation of new government ministries and departments and the
mushrooming of agencies. The same scenario occurs in the private sectors with
the increase industrial activities and investments activities. In the last 47 years,
the amount of the nation records that were created is phenomenal. As stipulated
in the National Archives act 1966 and Amended in 2003, government
departments must be involved in:
• Effective records management
• Efficient record keeping
• Ensure safekeeping of national heritage
• Disposition of records for final archive management
3. The skills
Records managers need to be multi skilled in term of being:
confident communicators: records managers deal with colleagues from all
backgrounds, from the Managing Director/Chief Executive/Top Officials,
Policy Makers down. They also have to contact suppliers, contractors and
outside organizations.
good negotiators: it is not always easy to persuade senior colleagues to hand
over 'their' records, or to agree to a retention period/destruction date for a
record they wish to preserve forever.
analytical thinkers: records managers need to understand how their
organization works to be capable of constructing systems that are integrated
with business processes and organizational culture
flexible: records managers are often expected to turn their hand to anything
remotely connected with the provision of information. 4
comfortable with new technology: there is a need to demonstrate the ability to
use and adapt to rapidly evolving ICT (Information Communication
Technology) packages and systems
4. Job description
A records manager is responsible for the effective and appropriate management
of an organization's records. Records management professionals are employed
in a wide range of roles. The job increasingly involves advising on records
management issues, as well as undertaking practical and strategic activities. The
role is developing in scope because there is an increased understanding of the
value of effective knowledge and information management, particularly in the
corporate sector.
Effective records management requires an organization-wide commitment to
planning, implementing, overseeing, and participating in the records
management program. To achieve this, members of organization with a range of
records management–related roles and skills must support the effort.
5. Competencies
The Records Manager generally provides expertise in records management,
constituting knowledge areas of:
• Records Creation and Use
• Active and Inactive Records Systems
• Records Appraisal, Retention and Disposition
• Vital Records Identification and Protection
• Records and Information Management Technology
The Records Manager may also have subject matter expertise in: 5
Law
Privacy and Data Protection
IT and Electronic Storage Systems
General Business Principles
6. The market
As a records manager one could find oneself working in local or central
government, for a company (which might be a multinational), in education, in a
museum or gallery, or for a charitable organization. Legislative developments,
including the National Archive Act 2003, Pekeliling Kerajaan, and other acts and
policies be it from government or the organization itself, have created substantial
demand from employers for qualified records managers.
In the United States of America, a Records Manager in nuclear power plants
specialize in compliance with the Nuclear Regulatory Commission rules
regarding the handling of nuclear materials. It is to say that, Records Manager is
well verse with the situational context of the organization needs with regards to
legal and policies established.
In Malaysian case, there is also an emerging demand from health care,
pharmaceutical and legal industry for medical records officer, legal records officer
and document controller as it is called in business and private organizations.
Organizations like Mahkota Medical Center, Pantai Medical Center at Kuala
Lumpur, Johor Bahru, Batu Pahat, Ayer Keroh, and other private medical centers
in the country, have already requested and employed Medical Records Officer
(MRO) whom has background in medical records management, records
management and ICD-10 skills.
In other private sectors for instance service sectors, there are also increasing
demand for records officer and records executive. In as much, the demands from 6
other private industries to fulfill the position of Document Controller, a job
similarly associated with records management job are increasing. Some of the
jobs may not be directly named after records management but clearly from the
job scope; it is records management job. Among the job offerings for instance
are;
• Corporate Data and Resource Management Executive-Inai Kiara Sdn
Bhd.
• Document Controller at Carigali- PTTEPI Operating Company Sdn.
Bhd.(CPOC)
• Head of Department, Medical Records-Pantai Hospital Sg. Petani
• General Administration officer.
• Data Management Executive
7. Career Advancement, Professional and Skill Enrichment
The National Archives Act 2003 and other legislations are clear indication that
records management must be taken seriously. Some of the legislations are legal
binding associated with systematic records management of public records. The
following act and circulars revealed the seriousness on the parts of the authority
for public agencies to take good care of their records:
• National Archives Act, 1966, amended 2003
• Arahan Perbendaharaan No.150 (tempoh minimum bagi menyimpan buku
akaun dan rekod kewangan).
• Surat Pekeliling Am Bil. 1 Tahun 1997 (Peraturan pemeliharaan rekodrekod kerajaan)
• General Circular No 1/1970 (requires all government departments to send
one copy of department official report to the Director General of National
Archives within one month). 7
• General Order Chapter 3 (letter writing and recording of outgoing letters in
a register book).General Order Chapter 4 (File classification open, limited,
confidential, secret, top secret file registration and maintenance, file
distribution, KIV file, and file preservation) General Order Chapter 5 (
preserving government records, role of National archives, role of records
officer, and preserving records).Treasury Instruction (instruction to get
approval from Auditor General and Accountant General to dispose book
accounts which are already obsolete).
8. Efficiency and Economy (2Es)
The two Es is concerned with achieving economy of space and the efficiency in
the creation, maintenance, use and disposal of the records of an organization.
Unfortunately, the lack of qualified records managers makes it difficult to
implement this concept.
What is inherent in most departments is the absence of fully trained records
managers who can handle the records management responsibilities. Records
manager is responsible in establishing the records management program in
compliance with the legal legislations, organization’s procedures and the
standards in records management. This role is taken over by other general
personnel, resulting in the inconsistencies in the records creation and
maintenance but more importantly, the absence of the disposition activities,
which is the final phase in the records evolution. Such situation may lead to the
loss of records while in the past led to the migration of the records and archives.
Many people come into records management from disciplines such as scientific
research, financial and retail management and the civil service. Many people
also enter records management from an archives background, as members of
both professions have a shared interest in the value of information and its uses. 8
9. Continuing Professional Education
Continuing Professional Education or CPD is now a feature of working life and as
part of human capital development in Malaysia. Therefore there is a need to
prepare people for a new lifetime learning environment. Because of the diversity
of and diffusion of records management activity, from the beginning till the end of
the records, there is an urgent need for CPD to be established and practiced.
This is to prepare for the career advancement of records management
practitioners to pursue professional education and offering them to embrace new
knowledge and pursuing after job engagement in private sectors or even in
government sectors.
10. Training Programme
History
Malaysia has always associated herself with her former colonial masters even in
the earlier development of its national archives and the training of its personnel.
Earlier personnel were trained in Great Britain at the postgraduate level, either at
the certificate or the diploma level. Later on the staffs were also sent to Australia
and India for similar training. It was only at the later stage that the staffs were
given higher level training scheme, leading to master degree in both local and
foreign universities. So far the National Archive of Malaysia has played the
pivotal role in providing training programme for the public sectors personnel in
Malaysia in records management. Other institutions which are involved, include
MAMPU and INTAN.
11. Training of Records Professionals-International level
Training at every level can be acquired in many higher institutions in Great
Britain, United States, Australia and others. Most of the universities offer 9
programs at the master’s level. There are also a number of well known
professional organizations in records management that offers training programs.
12. Association of Records Managers and Administration (ARMA)
ARMA is an international organization of over 10,000 members and 150 chapters
in more than 30 countries worldwide. It gained its chartership in May 27, 1964. It
was established with the goal advancement in the area of records management
discipline and profession. It also aims at promoting research, education, training
and networking in the profession of records and information management.
Finally it also helps promote cooperation activities and smart partnerships with
related professional groups. Some of the professional activities that take place
are seminars and meetings, forums for information exchange, and the eventual
construction of a network of professional friends and contacts. ARMA also has an
educational program, which is designed to provide students with a certified set of
skills.
The Institute of Certified Records Managers (ICRM) is another international
certifying organization for professional records and information mangers.
Incorporated in 1975, it was established to maintain a standard for practicing
records management is accredited. Those wishing to acquire such certification
may take up examination leading to certified Records Managers.
At the university level many universities provides the master program in records
management. The Curtin University for example, offers the following courses:
• Bachelor of Arts (Library and Corporate Information Management)
• Graduate Certificate in Records Management
• Graduate Diploma in Records Management and Archives
• Master of Applied Science (Information Management) - Records
Management and Archives stream
Edith Cowan University offers the following courses: 10
• Executive Certificate in Records Management - this course provides an
alternative entry opportunity for students who do not have an
undergraduate degree and are therefore not eligible for admission to either
the Graduate Certificate or Graduate Diploma
• Graduate Certificate in Information Services - this course constitutes a first
award in record keeping studies at graduate level
• Graduate Diploma of Science (Information Services) - Archives and
Records Stream - this one year course, accredited by the Australian
Society of Archivists (ASA) and Records Management Association of
Australia (RMAA) requires a three year undergraduate degree as the
minimum entrance requirement
• Master of Information Services (Archives and Records Stream)
Monash University offers a Master of Information Management and Systems
(MIMS) degree course with a specialization in record keeping. This program of
study is recognized by both the Records Management Association of Australia
(RMAA) and the Australian Society of Archivists (ASA). Graduate diploma and
graduate certificate programs in record keeping are also available and PhD
programs are offered.
Similar programs are also provided in universities in United Kingdom and USA.
Most national archives of the world are active in the training programs in all
level of records management. This include The National Archives and
Records Administration (NARA) which is responsible for providing guidance
and assistance to Federal agencies in order to ensure that they carry out these
important records management responsibilities.
13. Faculty of Information Management, Universiti Teknologi MARA (UiTM)
The Faculty of Information Management has been pioneering in the area of
records management in Malaysia. The subject as an elective was first offered in 11
1973. It was not until 1996 that full-fledged undergraduate and master level
programs were offered. The undergraduate program is known as the Bsc in
Information Studies (Records Management), while the master’s program in Msc.
Information Management allows students to specialize in Records Management.
While certain courses/subjects offered include those regarded as compulsory at
the university and faculty level, the undergraduate professional programs allow
students to specialize in records management as early as the first semester
through the final sixth semester as shown below. This program is blessed with
numerous qualified faculty members in the area of records management,
electronic records management legal and medical records, oral history and
preservation. The cooperation and assistance from the National Archives of
Malaysia has been ongoing and close association with other universities and
industries has been an asset to the program.
With regards to the evolution of records; creation, use, maintenance and
disposition, what has been the most crucial is the preservation of the recorded
memory/history so that it can be referred to in the future and the nation’s history.
Along the three basic principles, students are also trained in the following
aspects of the working with the records and eventually archives. They are:
• Communication
• Identification
• Selection
• Acquisition
• Organisation
• Description
• Storage
• Retrieval preservation
• Analysis
• Interpretation
• Evaluation
• Synthesis
• Dissemination
• Management
The curriculum:
• Fosters development of records and archive managers who will assume
an assertive role in preserving and servicing the records and archives
• Emphasizes as evolving body of knowledge that reflects the findings of
basic and applied research from relevant fields
• Integrates the theory, application and use of ICT
• Responds to the needs of a rapidly changing technological and global
society 12
• Provides direction for future development of the field
• Promotes commitment to continuous professional growth
Foundation of Information and Communication Technology
Foundation to Information Management
Introduction to Reference and Information Sources
Management of Internet Resources and Services
Organization of Information
Managing Records in Organization Managing Automated
Records System
Functional Design of Records Centre Controlling and
Appraising Records
Development of Automated Records System Planning and Design of Records
and Archival Repositories
Preservation of Archival Material Management of Audio Visual
Records and Archives
Research in Records and Archives Management of Cartographic and
Photographic Records
Management of Electronic Records
Management of Business Records
Document Imaging System
-Choose One Only-
Document Oral Tradition
Mgt of Medical records
Mgt of Legal Records
Mgt of Engineering Records
Mgt of Architecture Records
Mgt of Manuscript and Personal Paper
Islamic Information Management
Information Marketing for
Records Centre and Archives
Administrative History
Independent study
Figure 1: The Records Management Courses in BSc In Information Management (Records
Management) 13
List of Specialization in MSc. In Information Management:
1) Records Management
2) Electronic Records Management
3) Internship in Records Management
4) Directed Reading in Records Management
5) Theses in Records Management and Archives
Figure 3: Specialization in Records Management in the Msc in Information
Management, UiTM
The objectives of the two programs are as follows:
1
• To create expertise and skilled manpower, qualified in the management of
records and archives
• To produce professionals who are creative and proactive, competitive and high
caliber in records and archives management
• To plan, provide and apply effectively academic courses that is of high quality
and world class
• To ensure that the program maintain the professional status continuously by the
public and private sectors
• To create the centre of excellence and expertise in the records and archive
management.
14. Recommendations
Consequently, the priorities should be in establishing records and archives
management in Malaysia. It is highly recommended that more concerted effort
1 UiTM. Faculty of Information Management: Handbook. (Shah Alam: FPM, 2004):2. 14
should be given to the training of records managers. Priorities should also be given
to the provision of the right records management position the government
organizations. This will reduce the problem of mismatching in the employment of
the personnel responsible for records management, including electronic records
management. This may mean the creation of new jobs dedicated entirely to the
records management responsibilities. In addition to that it is also important for
agencies to:
1. Uphold the 2Es of records management
a. Efficiency and Economy
2. Plan for Policies
a. Create an efficient records management policy and program, based on the
careful application of the management and organization principles and the
program objectives.
3. Human Problems
a. Investigating career opportunities in records management, leading to
positions in business, industry and government sectors.
b. Training of staff
4. Training of Staff
a. General staff
b. The basic course will do the following:
i. Introducing the basic concepts of organizational theory and
different ways of analyzing organizations
ii. Discussing the history and development of recordkeeping systems
iii. Defining the concept of a “record” and the systems that support
records
iv. Outlining what records management is and what records managers
do
v. Reviewing the basic principles and functions of a records
management program 15
5. Establish Records Management Division
6. Emerging areas
a. Look at the policies of records management in new emerging areas, for
instance, health care industry in Malaysia which has specific requirement
for Medical Records Officer that is also has unique knowledge in ICD10,
for classification of disease and mortality. Health information management
involves not only maintaining patient files, but also coding the files to
reflect the diagnoses of the conditions suffered by patients.
b. Records Managers in the pharmaceutical industry are responsible for
maintaining laboratory research, clinical trials data, and manufacturing
information.
c. Records Managers in law firms often have responsibility for managing
conflicts, as well as managing client matter files.
7. Governmental archives and records management departments such as the
National Archives and Records Administration offer educational programs of
interest to government records managers.
8. A professional certification, the Certified Records Manager credential is offered
by any certification institute related specifically to the records management
discipline. Other organizations may offer certificates reflecting completion of a
course of studies, attendance at a seminar, or passing a subject matter test. 16
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