PUTRAJAYA: The government has not failed in carrying out its duties and responsibilities to the people and nation, says the Prime Minister.
Addressing staff members of the Prime Minister’s Department yesterday, Datuk Seri Ismail Sabri Yaakob said there were various success stories to highlight, such as the 8.9% GDP growth in the year’s second quarter and trade value exceeding RM2 trillion and the creation of almost 400,000 jobs.
To keep the national economy on an upward trend, he urged civil servants to reduce bureaucracy towards investors, which he said was often raised during his visits abroad.
“Many ministries are involved in the same matter, and in the end, it causes delay.
“For investors and traders, time is very important. Late approvals cause losses to them,” he said, adding that the government has agreed to set up a #MyMudah unit to deal with bureaucratic issues.
Ismail Sabri said the #MyMudah unit would be set up within all ministries, federal agencies, state governments and local authorities to facilitate business dealings across the country.
“I don’t want the old culture of working in silos. We must work together; we have shared responsibilities.
“We must work as a family because the silo way will cause failure to any action or plan,” Bernama quoted him as saying.
Ismail Sabri also called on civil servants to stand up for the government against slander and unsubstantiated allegations.
“I want us to think of this government as one family. Do not see me as a political leader, but as the head of the government, and you are all a part of it,” he said.
Also present were ministers in the Prime Minister’s Department Datuk Seri Wan Junaidi Tuanku Jaafar (Parliament and Law) and Datuk Seri Mustapa Mohamed (Economy), and Chief Secretary to the Government Tan Sri Mohd Zuki Ali.
Explaining the cooperation with the Opposition through a bipartisan memorandum of understanding (MOU) on Transformation and Political Stability, Ismail Sabri said it enabled the government to focus on big challenges such as political stability and recovery of the national economy.
He said it was through the MOU that the anti-hopping Bill was passed, even though it was hotly debated in Parliament.
“From an economic point of view, we have succeeded. The anti-hopping Bill has also been passed unanimously, and we will introduce the political funding Bill,” he said, adding that the government will also introduce a Parliamentary Services Act.
He said the government would not have achieved the desired success without the support of civil servants.
“Keep up the good work to help the government resolve problems for the benefit of the people,” he concluded.