Serving new masters
The Malaysian civil service has begun to feel the effects of the change in political leadership and it is bracing for more to come
DURING the early hours of May 10 when the general election results were finally announced, it became clear that the whole civil service had entered uncharted waters.
After 61 years of uninterrupted rule, the Barisan Nasional government was no more.
Since the following two days – Thursday and Friday - were declared public holidays by Prime Minister Tun Dr Mahathir Mohamad, it was only on Monday that civil servants clocked in for work.
As they waited for the shock waves to settle, they braced for new announcements and instructions from the new Pakatan Harapan-led Putrajaya.
Changes started happening at an almost breakneck speed with one of the most remarkable being the zero-rated Goods and Services Tax (GST), which was first introduced in 2015 at 6%.
Royal Malaysian Customs director-general Datuk Seri Subromaniam Tholasy, who was a central figure in overseeing GST affairs under the previous government, found the new government to be “very transparent”.
Subromaniam, who has been with the civil service for more than 30 years, is confident that the Customs Department can reduce the tax gap between the revenue collection for GST and the Sales and Service Tax (SST) by fixing leakages within the department.
“The good governance practised by the new leadership will make civil servants and the Customs Department work hard to realise the objectives of the government,” he says.
Housing and Local Government Ministry secretary-general Datuk Seri Mohammad Mentek was also positive about the new government’s performance after 100 days.
To him, Putrajaya now has a better vantage point of the state of affairs faced by the people.
He feels Pakatan has a clear vision to create a better government in terms of integrity, financial prudence, and the people’s wellbeing.
“In the first 100 days, loopholes in procurement procedures and organisational structures were instantly reviewed and improved,” he says, crediting this to the new government’s emphasis on anti-corruption policies.
“In the context of my Ministry, the new government is ready to hear new ideas that will improve its delivery system to the people and new policies will be announced by the minister (Zuraida Kamaruddin) in the near future,” he adds.
While Pakatan is pushing for reform all across the board, Mohammad is assured that the new government will not undermine the previous commitments made. by the BN government.
“They are reviewing the commitments in the interest and benefit of Malaysians collectively,” he says.
What has remained the same, adds Mohammad, are the good procedures and practices of the ministry.
“Exemplary officers have been retained and the wellbeing of the civil servants is being looked after by the new government too,” says Mohammad, who has been in civil service for over 20 years.
A firm believer in political impartiality, Mohammad adds civil servants must serve the government of the day with the same degree of commitment.
“We must refrain from campaigning for or against any political parties,” he notes.
But in the east coast state of Terengganu which was won by PAS, the wind of change is a little slow to come.
A teacher, Max, who declined to give his full name remains cautious as to whether there is greater freedom of speech.
“I am unsure if I can air my political views freely under the highly touted ‘New Malaysia’,” says the Kuala Terengganu-based teacher who is in his mid-50s. “To me, that is still a mythbecause I think the powers-that-be might not be politically mature to accept criticism and there doesn’t seem to be any avenue to do so.”
He adds, “There are no significant changes in terms of policy yet.”
Another civil servant who only wanted to be known as Nur, 42, echoes his views. “It has been business as usual but we err on the safe side and dress more conservatively. Nothing that is too tight-fitting, for example,” said Nur, who lives in Hulu Terengganu.
Nur who voted for BN, says she never mixed politics and her work. “But many know of my political allegiance and they have advised me to be careful but even before this, I know when to voice out and when to silently observe,” she adds.
While she is disapppointed BN lost the state, she is happy to keep her job as a civil servant and intends to serve the new government as best as she can.
Tengku Ampuan Afzan Hospital public relations officer Pai Syahira Yahya, 33, who lives in Kuantan, Pahang, feels the same as Nur about being professional in her work.
Pai, who says she is still trying to adapt to the new PH administration, just wants to do her job and provide excellent public service.