Proposal to downsize civil service absurd — Cuepacs

KUALA LUMPUR: The Congress of Unions of Employees in the Public and Civil Services (Cuepacs) yesterday rejected the proposal by certain quarters on reducing the size of the civil service in the country.

Its president Datuk Azih Muda said the proposal was unreasonable and in conflict with the current situation as the country was still experiencing staff shortages in the public sector.

Do not equate Malaysia with other countries because we are different; we mix and classify all the sectors under civil services.

He said the comparison in number of civil servants in this country and other countries was inaccurate because in other countries education, military, police and health services were separated from the public sector.

“Do not equate Malaysia with other countries because we are different; we mix and classify all the sectors under civil services.

“The fact is, when we go on the ground and take a look at the public service sector we will find there is shortage of staff,” he told a press conference here yesterday.

On Monday, former Treasury secretary- general Mohd Sheriff Mohd Kassim reportedly said the government should consider downsizing the public service if a three per cent fiscal deficit was to be achieved.

Azih said the main priority now was to find a formula to increase productivity, work performance and discipline among public servants, rather than reducing the size of the civil service in the country.

He said this was more important because improved civil service performance would be able to help the country achieve a high-income developed status.

“There are many more important issues that should be considered such as productivity and cost of living but these parties are more interested in issues which can lead to anxiety among civil servants; such sentiments are unhealthy,” he said. — Bernama