Psychometric tests for govt staff
> Profiling planned to gauge integrity of those in decisionmaking capacities
KUALA LUMPUR: Civil servants holding key decision-making positions will soon have to undergo psychometric tests for honesty and integrity, said president and chief executive officer of the Malaysian Institute of Integrity (Integriti), Datuk Dr Anis Yusal Yusoff ( pix).
He said Integriti was discussing details with the Public Services Department (PSD) and they were looking to implement the tests soon.
“I have also met top officers from the Immigration Department and we will likely begin integrity profiling for their officers who are based at entry points nationwide.
“These officers have the power to decide who can and cannot enter our country and we will probably begin the psychometric tests with them,” he said yesterday.
The tests indicate an individual’s tendency to be honest and consistent in regard to actions, values and principles, and assess the individual’s propensity to become involved in counter-productive behaviour.
“Results of the psychometric testing, available in English and Bahasa Malaysia, will take about two to four weeks to be out. These results will then be submitted to the department director-general for further action,” Anis said.
The introduction of this test was among efforts by Integriti to help weed out corruption and abuse of power in the civil service.
Anis said following the successful implementation of the tests by PSD, Integriti would discuss the possibility of introducing the tests to political parties. “We would like to make it mandatory for all general election candidates from both sides to undergo the test before being nominated as a candidate.”
He also said he has proposed to the Construction Industry Development Board Integrity Working Group, of which he is a member, to make it compulsory for details of all projects being tendered out to be made transparent.
He said all such details should be made available online and also on site for the public to view.
“This way, projects cannot be awarded to certain cronies and must go through the proper channels where it is awarded to the most deserving and qualified bidder.”
He added that other ongoing efforts by Integriti to create a more knowledgeable society to oppose corruption was the introduction of the pre-school integrity model.
“We have since started this supporting curriculum in 11 pre-schools and hope to introduce it nationwide soon. The idea is to educate society on what integrity is at a very young age,” he said.