Transformation initiatives vital for strengthening public sector, says Hajiji

KOTA KINABALU: The public sector needs to continuously galvanise itself through civil service transformation initiatives for the success of the state government development's agenda, says Datuk Seri Hajiji Noor.

“This will ensure we have the best team that keeps abreast with the current needs," the Chief Minister said when addressing the state Civil Service Assembly at the Sabah International Convention Centre here, Tuesday (Jan 25).

Hajiji said he is fully committed to support any initiative aimed at transforming and strengthening the state or federal civil services, which includes bolstering integrity and professionalism among civil servants, as well as enhancing the government delivery system.

He also encouraged a productive work culture, innovation and creativity as well as creating a strategic communication mechanism so that all government policies can be heard, seen and felt by the people.

Some of the transformation approaches being taken currently were the development of three data hubs namely the People Hub, Business Hub and Geo Hub under a data-sharing platform known as the Data Integration and Interchange Platform (DIIP), he said.

Hajiji said the DIIP facilitates Government-to-Government (G2G), Government-to-Business (G2B) and Government-to-Citizen (G2C) data sharing, which had paved the way for the creation of the Sabah Digital Marketplace to spur the growth of people-orientated businesses.

"The public service transformation also covers aspects ranging from the welfare of personnel, promotion opportunities, management and work environment, healthcare and housing. All of these must be given priority," he said.

On related matters, he expressed his pride for Sabah for having received the Regulatory Champion Award as the Most Active State in GRP Implementation from the Malaysia Productivity Corporation (MPC) last year.

Hajiji said initiatives from the Public Service Department to introduce the High Performing Organisational Happiness Index (IKOBT), a study being conducted in collaboration with researchers from Universiti Malaysia Sabah (UMS), was to be commended.

"Results from the study are crucial in formulating suitable strategies to transform the public service," he said.

Meanwhile, the state Finance Minister said positive responses from the recent Sabah International Business and Economic Summit (SIBES) 2022 attended by among others, foreign envoys, proved that investors could see potential in Sabah.

Hajiji said many meeting requests have been received from businessmen from outside of Sabah as well as foreign diplomats following the summit.

Hajiji disclosed that a Middle East diplomatic entourage will be coming to Sabah to see for themselves the (investment) potentials here, as a follow-up to an earlier meeting between them in Kuala Lumpur last year.

In this respect, he urged the civil service’s full commitment to ensure the move to grow Sabah's economy through the state’s investment strategy will bear fruit.