Will Malaysian civil servants smile and be helpful in 2006?

DAP National Deputy Chairman and MP for Kepong urges the Malaysian civil servants to show that the delivery system has improved by leaps and bounds in 2006, especially after receiving the cost of living allowance (COLA).

About a year ago, a government report showed that about 850,000 civil servants were perceived to be rude and lazy. The Cheif Secretary Tan Sri Samsuddin Osman said that he had experienced the rudeness of his bureaucrats and that he wanted departmental heads to check on them. Some people who visit government departments have been sent on a wide goose chase.

If we include the armed and police forces, the number of civil servants is over one million. Apart from implementing the Royal Commission recommendations for the police, the Government should tell the people whether it has been able to fulfill the promise to improve the delivery system of all departments.

Dr Tan feels that after receiving COLA as mentioned in the 2006 Federal Budget and the circular from the Public Service Department (PSD), civil servants should serve the people better. This time, those eligible for COLA include the management, professional and support groups.

How many bureaucrats have been sent by Tan Sri Samsuddin to undergo reeducation to smile and be helpful to the public? How many new civil servants have been recruited in the last two years and at what cost to the tax-payers? What is the average government salary compared with the private sector? How many unemployed graduates have been absorbed by the Government?

There are dedicated government servants. But for those who are rude and unhelpful, they contribute little service to anyone. They have cushy jobs, relatively good pay and pensions. Malaysian tax-payers have to pay for them. This is an increasing burden.

Tan Seng Giaw