Reasons 22 officers transferred to Intan

THE controversial decision to transfer 22 high-ranking federal officers to the National Institute of Public Administration (Intan) was made by former chief secretary to the government Tan Sri Dr Ali Hamsa – a day before his retirement on Aug 28.

The public administrative and diplomatic officers were serving in departments such as the Public Service Department (PSD) and Public Services Commission of Malaysia (PSC), and several ministries prior to their transfer.

They were moved to Intan due to issues regarding delay in appointments and salary payments for those who were on contract and political appointees at ministers’ and deputy ministers’ offices under the new Pakatan Harapan Cabinet.

Based on an investigation by The Star, it was found that the delays were due to circumstances that were unavoidable. Several of the officers to the ministers and deputy ministers were late in processing their appointment documents.

The Star learnt that among the senior officers who were transferred out were PSD deputy direc­tor Datuk Mohtar Abdul Rahman and PSC secretary Datuk Zainal Abidin Ahmad.

The other senior officers were PSD Organisational Development director Mohamad Fauzi Isa and deputy senior director Zohari Said.

There were also officers from the PSD Organisational Develop­ment department and three deputy directors at PSD’s Service Department who received the transfer order.

Officers from the ministries who were moved to Intan inclu­ded Human Resources and Admi­nistrative secretaries from the Fi­­nance, Education, Defence, Tran­­sport and Agriculture ministries.

In a related news, The Star was also informed that until Aug 24, 101 were appointed to the ministers’ and deputy ministers’ offi­ces.

Of the number, 84 have even received their salaries.

It is said that one of the reasons that the officers to the ministers and deputy ministers were paid late was because they did not submit their appointment letters with their signatures on them.

A reason why they did not do so was that there was no specification of the minimum salary. Another reason for the delay is that the officers did not submit their bank account information.

Other factors include the fact that the officers were still working with his or her former employer and had to serve out a three-month notice period.

At the time this analysis was written, it has been estimated that there were about 60 posts at the offices of the ministers and deputy ministers that are yet to be filled due to a lack of candidates or that the candidates were asking for a salary that was not under the Public Service Officer Circular No. 6.

“There were ministers’ officers who demanded a higher grade although the new government has agreed to add another position – Special Officer – from one to two who held Grade 54,” a source told The Star.

Chief Secretary to the Govern­ment Datuk Seri Dr Ismail Bakar said action had been taken against the officers in question.