Practical steps to downsize

THERE has been a lot of emotional reactions to my recent statement regarding the oversized civil service. Perhaps the sensitivity is because the civil service is mainly Malay, and Malay dependence on the civil service for employment is very high.

Downsizing does not mean mass retrenchment. There are ways of doing it in a humane and caring manner. First, the Government can start with retraining of redundant employees by giving them free courses on skills development: computer technology, English, basic accounting, corporate law and etc. – all the skills needed to make them employable in the private sector. I am sure once the employees get these skills, many would like to leave as soon as they reach optional retirement age. The government employees will self-retrench.