BUTTERWORTH: Civil servants have been urged to make significant changes in their work practices and service delivery to help restore public confidence in the civil service.
Public Service Department director-general Tan Sri Wan Ahmad Dahlan Abdul Aziz said this was in line with the aspirations of the Madani government under the leadership of Prime Minister Datuk Seri Anwar Ibrahim, who is committed to improving the efficiency and quality of the country's delivery system.
He said there had recently been a crisis of confidence among the public regarding the capability of the civil service, including complaints about delays and service quality that have led to negative feedback, particularly on social media.
"Therefore, civil servants must make a shift and find new ways to deliver better services to the people. They can no longer be comfortable with outdated working methods.
"I do not want to hear any more complaints about slow or delayed services, because the current government under the Prime Minister's leadership places a strong emphasis on speed in public service delivery," he said at the "Program Bitara Madani - Bicara Aspirasi Hemat: Aspirasi Menuju Reformasi" at the PICCA Convention Centre @Arena Butterworth here Thursday (April 17).
Wan Ahmad Dahlan said Malaysia was once among the leading countries in Southeast Asia in the public service sector, but civil servants are now seen to have become too comfortable in their positions.
"Therefore, the Prime Minister has challenged them to step out of their comfort zone.
"I believe that if civil servants implement the three core principles of simplifying, adapting and accelerating services, we will be able to become one of the best in the region, even rivalling countries like Singapore," he said.
He also proposed the use of digital technology and smart applications to reduce the need for physical service delivery, thereby avoiding congestion and minimising the risk of misconduct such as corruption.
Meanwhile, in an effort to empower civil servants for the digital era, he said the government had also introduced training initiatives in artificial intelligence (AI) and digital transformation.
"As part of this initiative, public officers have undergone intensive six-month training in India and China, including with leading technology companies such as ZTE. Upon their return, they will serve as trainers for their peers in the public sector," he said.
At the event, he launched the book "Hemat: Aspirasi Menuju Reformasi", which he wrote as a reference for civil servants in driving the public service reform agenda.
The programme, organised by Intan Northern Regional Campus (Intura) in collaboration with various government agencies from the northern states, was attended by some 1,500 civil servants from Penang, Perak, Kedah and Perlis. — Bernama
