Customs staff told to be prepared for corporatization
KOTA KINABALU: The Royal Malaysian Customs wants all its staff to understand the concept of corporatization once the department is corporatized.
Sabah Customs director Datuk Dr Janathan Kandok said senior officers must understand the corporatization concept to ensure their staff can accept the new reformation.
“Officers and personnel must understand the corporatization concept including its definitions and visions as well as aspects related to the implementation of the process,” he said during the Roadshow and Engagement of the Royal Malaysian Customs into Corporatization at the State Customs Headquarters here yesterday.
The briefing was presented by Royal Malaysian Customs deputy director Datuk Hasnol Zam Zam Ahmad to about 160 senior officers and staff.
Janathan said the proposal to corporatize the department had been announced a couple of years ago but was put on hold due to the implementation of the Goods and Services Tax (GST) on April 1, 2015.
He added that Prime Minister Datuk Seri Najib Tun Razak had announced that the department will be incorporated when the time is right during his speech at the Customs Department appreciation night in March this year.
When asked about the corporatization proposal, Janathan said the government had its own reason to corporatize the department, similar to other government agencies.
“There is a reason why the government wants to corporatize the Royal Malaysian Customs, same as other government agencies.
“Maybe it is good in terms of strengthening top management decision making which was once difficult to decide and had to get referral from other relevant departments, while Customs personnel can also expect better wages and working environment for innovation and creativity, especially for the Y generation,” he said.
Janathan also hopes the Sabah Customs Department will remain as a world-class organization with a work culture that meets the needs of the people once the department is incorporated.
He also said that this expectation includes generating revenue through the establishment of factories that will provide thousands of job opportunities for the Y and Z generations.