2018 marks new chapter in Malaysian civil service
The era where public servants should follow orders blindly is past. Datuk Seri Dr Ismail Bakar, KSN
PUTRAJAYA: 2018 marks a new chapter in the Malaysian civil service with the change in the federal government, from serving the Barisan Nasional ( BN) government for over 60 years since the country’s independence, to Pakatan Harapan ( PH), which is the new master now.
This follows the change in the country’s political landscape when the newly- formed PH coalition overthrew BN in the 14th General Election on May 9.
The public service also made another history, that is serving Prime Minister Tun Dr Mahathir Mohamad for a second time.
Following the PH’s victory in the last general election, 93year- old Dr Mahathir, who is PH chairman, made history by becoming the country’s prime minister for the second time. He was Malaysia’s fourth Prime Minister (1981 to 2003) and is now back as the country’s seventh prime minister, and the world’s oldest leader.
The end of the BN era also saw Datuk Seri Dr Ismail Bakar appointed as the new Chief Secretary to the Government ( KSN) , taking over from Tan Sri Dr Ali Hamsa, whose service contract expired.
Ismail was appointed to the number one post in the public service only about two months after he was appointed to the post of Treasury secretary- general, replacing Tan Sri Mohd Irwan Serigar Abdullah.
On his first day as the 14th KSN, Ismail stressed the importance of upholding integrity and the principle of truth in discharging duties.
He also pledged to implement reforms to enhance integrity of the public service, enforce a prudent public finance management and strengthen the public service delivery.
“The era where public servants should follow orders blindly is past,” Ismail said in his message on his appointment as the KSN.
2018 is also the year during which the public service sector was implicated in issues on integrity when two former highranking government officers were dragged to court for criminal breach of trust ( CBT) of government funds.
On October 25 this year, Mohd Irwan was charged with former prime minister Datuk Seri Najib Tun Razak with six counts of CBT involving government funds totalling RM6,636,065,000, including in connection with 1Malaysia Development Berhad (1MDB) debt payments to International Petroleum Investment Co ( IPIC).
On the same day, former director- general of the Research Division, Prime Minister’s Department Datuk Hasanah Abdul Hamid, 61, was also charged with CBT of RM50.4 million in government funds.
With the change in government, changes were made to the ministries, as well as a new one set up.
A new ministry set up by the PH government is the Ministry of Economic Affairs, whereas the Ministry of Entrepreneur Development, which was dissolved in 2009, has been reestablished and the Ministry of Education and Ministry of Higher Education have been merged under one roof as the Ministry of Education.
Some ministries were renamed such as the Ministry of Industry, Plantation and Commodities, which is now known as Ministry of Primary Industries; Ministry of Natural Resources and Environment to Ministry of Water, Land and Natural Resources; Ministry of Energy, Green Technology and Water to the Ministry of Energy, Science Technology, Environment and Climate Change; and the Ministry of Domestic Trade, Cooperatives and Consumerism to the Ministry of Domestic Trade and Consumer Affairs.
The new government also disbanded four bodies as agencies in a move to save cost and the four entities are the Land Public Transport Commission ( SPAD), Special Affairs Department ( JASA), National Council of Professors ( MPN), and Federal Village Development and Security Committee (JKKP).
The government has formed the National Centre for Governance, Integrity and Anti- Corruption ( GIACC) and appointed former Malaysian Anti- Corruption Commission ( MACC) chief commissioner Tan Sri Abu Kassim Mohamed as the director- general to coordinate and monitor all activities related to governance, integrity and combating corruption.
The service of about 17,000 civil servants was terminated, in particular contract workers and political appointments of the previous government.
On Sept 20, the government replaced the phrase ‘saya yang menurut perintah’ (‘ I who obey orders’) used in official government letters with the phrase ‘ saya yang menjalankan amanah’ (‘ I who carry out the trust’).
The move was in line with the government’s aspiration for every civil servant to realise that every order, assignment and responsibility is a mandate that must be carried out properly. — Bernama