‘ANY SYSTEM WILL FAIL WITHOUT GOOD USERS’
Efficient public delivery system can create an ecosystem that supports competitiveness at global level, says PM
ANY good system will fall apart if its users fail to use it properly, said Prime Minister Tun Dr Mahathir Mohamad.
He said this during the launch of my Portfolio, an enhanced desk file and work manual procedures for the public sector aimed at improving the government’s delivery system.
“My advice to all civil servants, a system or any method of doing things, no matter how good it is,
will not take off successfully if the users fail to use it honestly, with discipline and enthusiastically,” he said after chairing the 8th Special Cabinet Committee on Anti-Corruption.
Dr Mahathir said should the government improve the public delivery system, it could create an ecosystem that would support heightened competitiveness at the global level through businessfriendly approaches.
These positive results, he added, would benefit Malaysia and its people, including providing jobs and contributing to the government coffers.
He said once Malaysia had secured global recognition and reaped benefits from better government delivery, the civil sector could not afford to stay stagnant, without doing continuous improvements to the existing system.
“An efficient delivery system will make it easy and more transparent for people to deal with the government. The business community will need efficient, fast and accurate services so that the cost can be lowered and stay competitive.”
He thanked the chief secretary to the government and the Malaysian Administrative Modernisation and Management Planning Unit for their continuous efforts to improve the government delivery system with the latest initiative via the myPortfolio system.
The myPortfolio system has organised and simplified the desk file and the work procedure manual into 10 components, compared with 22 components previously. Each component delineates the organisational chart, functional chart, work flow and job description.
Job description is a new element introduced in myPortfolio not seen in the desk file and work procedure manual previously. It outlines the purpose of creating a particular post and the main duties and responsibilities held by the staff holding the post.
This single document is able to fulfil the needs of several human resource management and human resource development functions, including recruitment, selection, appraisal, job evaluation, and training aside from restructuring and facilitating ease of planning and management of human capital in the public sector.
During the launch of Cuepacs Premier Assembly at University Putra Malaysia in March, Dr Mahathir highlighted the importance of a flow chart for civil servants to execute their task efficiently.
In line with his demand, flow charts have been given prominence in myPortfolio.
The flow chart clearly identifies the personnel responsible for a specific task, the process involved in executing the task and the duration for completing each task.
It also promotes better understanding of processes, thus allowing room for continuous improvement.
Service delivery improvement teams can use this chart to identify, analyse and rectify bottle neck processes, and provide insight to simplify this process to enhance service delivery to the public.