KUALA LUMPUR: Malaysia should strive to be ranked in the top 10 in surveys by international agencies. 

Making the call last night, Prime Minister Datuk Seri Abdullah Ahmad Badawi said Malaysia was now often ranked between the 20th and 30th spot in various surveys, which he described as not good enough.

"Our expertise and efficiency will determine our standing. These surveys have their own yardstick and we will be ranked whether we like it or not," he said at the Public Sector Quality Awards presentation ceremony at the Kuala Lumpur Convention Centre.

On the yardstick used by some surveys, Abdullah said it was unfair to compare Malaysia with countries like Singapore.

"If Malaysia is made up of just the Klang Valley, our per capita income will be high. If they want to compare Malaysia with Singapore, then the Klang Valley should be used and not the whole country.

"Comparing the republic to the whole of Malaysia would be like comparing a durian with a mango.

"To be more realistic, you have to compare an apple with an apple," he said.

On the public delivery system, the prime minister said it had showed marked improvement.

"There are now fewer complaints in the newspapers compared to before. This means efforts put in place have begun to show results."

Abdullah also chided government departments for not conserving energy.

"Lights and the air-conditioning are on all day long as they close everything. Our buildings are not energy-efficient and costly to maintain.

"I have told Datuk Seri S. Samy Vellu (Works Minister) to make it compulsory for all new buildings to be energy efficient," he said.

The winners were the National Registration Department, the Subang Jaya and Manjung municipal councils, the Alor Gajah district and land office and the Malaysian Syariah Department.