Peer Review Policy

All manuscripts submitted to POLIGOV: Malaysian Journal of Policy, Leadership, International & Government Affairs undergo a rigorous double-anonymised peer-review process to ensure academic quality, originality, relevance, and methodological soundness. The Editors first screen submissions to assess their suitability for the journal, alignment with its aims and scope, originality, scholarly contribution, and compliance with the submission guidelines. Manuscripts that do not meet these requirements may be declined at the initial editorial screening stage.

Manuscripts that pass the initial screening are normally evaluated by at least two independent expert reviewers with relevant subject-matter expertise. Reviewers assess submissions based on originality, theoretical and conceptual contribution, methodological rigour, quality of evidence and analysis, engagement with relevant literature, policy significance, and clarity of presentation.

The reviewers’ recommendations inform editorial decisions and may include acceptance, acceptance subject to minor revisions, acceptance subject to major revisions and resubmission, or rejection. Authors will normally receive anonymised reviewer comments through the journal’s online submission system.

All manuscripts and review materials are treated as confidential. Reviewers are required to disclose any actual or potential conflicts of interest and to observe appropriate standards of professional and publication ethics. POLIGOV may conduct plagiarism, similarity, originality, and research-integrity checks at any stage of the editorial and peer-review process.

Authors may suggest potential reviewers during submission; however, such suggestions are advisory only and do not bind the Editors. The Editorial Team retains full discretion to select reviewers considered most suitable, independent, and authoritative for the manuscript.

The final editorial decision on all submissions rests with the Editors of POLIGOV: Malaysian Journal of Policy, Leadership, International & Government Affairs.