Yong: Working culture at all govt depts needs urgent revamp
THERE is an urgent need to revamp the working culture at all government departments, be it at the state or federal level.
This was pointed out by Violet Yong ( DAP- Pending) in the august House yesterday following several complaints on the working attitude and efficiency level of civil servants that have been channelled to her.
According to her, those complaints were either about having great difficulties to look for certain officer as the person in- charge was always not around in the office or no one seemed to pick up phone calls.
“It is a norm that in most government departments and offices, staff reach the office just to clock in, leave office immediately and head straight to the canteen or nearby kopitiam for breakfast or a cup of coffee.
“Then about 10am, there will be a second round of tea break. If one were to make phone calls to look for a certain officer
It is a norm that in most government departments and offices, staff reach the office just to clock in, leave office immediately and head straight to the canteen or nearby kopitiam for breakfast or a cup of coffee.
around that time, there is a very high possibility that one cannot reach the officer,” she said when debating the Head of State’s address yesterday.
Yong told the august House that she was even informed that “there are some black sheep who return to the office after lunch break just sitting around, doing nothing but wait for the right time to clock out.
“I am not exaggerating. Government servants who do all these know very well it is happening. It is also not uncommon to see some officers being glued to their mobile phones or that the whole office space is empty without a single officer in it and with full blast of air- conditioner on.” She even singled out the working ethics of staffers at Housing Development Corporation ( HDC), particularly those who processed applications for approval.
She then gave a detailed account of how the staff at HDC lacked enthusiasm in discharging their duties, an undesired act that had caused inconvenience to the people. Among the worst, she said a caller rang up HDC to follow up with the status of an application just a week after the Hari Raya break.
“When questioned by the caller that it was already a week after the festive holiday and why there was no one working, the staff taking the call answered ‘We have one month to celebrate raya’,” she said, asking the House whether the reply was shocking.
“Let us be frank with ourselves. A government can never expect to deliver good services with such problematic people inside the system. We are not talking about a ministry only. It happens in many state and federal ministries.”
She said the government of the day ‘cannot let the problem continue’ if they wished to improve the efficiency level of the public sector.
“The working attitude and efficiency level of government servants do ref lect the image of the government. Necessary measures must be undertaken to get rid of bad apple so that the image of the government service can be restored.
“Therefore, Minister of Local Government and Housing should look into such issue that happened right under his nose. I urge him ‘ jangan tengok saja’ (don’t just look),” she added.
Violet Yong, (DAP-Pending)