Professional competence and statistical integrity challenges faced in the small area estimation: A public policy tool development perspective

Abstract

This paper addresses two ethical issues; one pertaining to professional competence and the other to statistical integrity. Both issues arose when attempts were made to augment the information communications technology (ICT) penetration rates compiled in the Malaysian Population and Housing Census 2000 and the Household Basic Amenities Survey 2004 at the lowest administrative or "Mukim" level using small area estimation procedures. The paper posits that despite wide publicity on ICT policy strategies and programmes and the evolution of the knowledge based economy, the problem of inadequate and scanty data in Malaysia was due to a lack of professional competence. The paper views professional competence not only from the data producer perspective but also from the users' perspectives, who expect the statistical community to play a proactive role in exploring the emerging areas of public policy interest, as opposed to the current directive based approach. The paper discusses statistical integrity not only from the usual perspectives of data, professionalism, competence, process and quality control, but also from the perspective of statistical governance in the context of overall national governance. The latter aspect seems to be seldom addressed in the literature.