The search is on

IS the race on for the next Chief Secretary to the Government?

Speculation has been rife in the last few weeks in Putrajaya that current Chief Secretary to the Government Tan Sri Mohd Zuki Ali, who was given a two-year contract in 2022, may retire earlier.

This has resulted in intense lobbying among those who consider themselves seniors, especially among the secretaries-general. This group comprises the Administrative and Diplomatic (PTD) officers, the creme de la creme of the civil service who hold key leadership posts. They plan, monitor, and ensure effective public service delivery.

Ministers and politicians are being lobbied in the quest for this coveted top civil service post. And the most interesting speculation is that the name of a state secretary has been thrown into the fray.

It is a big responsibility being the chief secretary to the government and the No.1 boss to some 1.6 million civil servants which includes the security forces. The person tasked with the role also acts as secretary to the Cabinet and becomes the bridge between the civil service and the government of the day.

Mohd Zuki (left) speaking with Anwar during a special meeting on the economy in November last year. Whoever becomes the next chief secretary to the government must be up to the important task of serving as the bridge between the civil service and the government of the day. — Prime Minister’s Office

Since Malaysia’s independence in 1957, the country has seen 14 people holding the post before Mohd Zuki.

After the upheaval following the 2018 General Election that saw Malaysia go through four prime ministers, the civil service remained and is still standing.

When Pakatan Harapan took over Putrajaya in 2018, the civil servants were viewed suspiciously by the Cabinet, especially those members who were new at dealing with and managing ministries.

Their lack of experience was telling. Demands were made by some ministers to remove several secretaries-general because they were “not in sync” and these senior civil servants were sent to what is popularly known as the “pool”, or put in cold storage. There were also cases of secretaries-general swapping ministries because ministers were unhappy that their demands were rejected.

Often, contract officers whom politicians brought into the ministries – usually as a form of a reward for their support – clashed with civil servants, insisting on doing things their way and providing wrong advice to their political masters.

The last few years have been a rollercoaster ride and a demoralising time for those working in several ministries, what with the swift change of governments that left no clear policies and guidelines to steer the country with.

To his credit, Mohd Zuki managed to keep the civil service together in the wake of the resignation of Tun Dr Mahathir Mohamad in 2020 and the collapse of the Pakatan Harapan government.

As the country plunged into a political crisis then, Mohd Zuki called for a meeting with all secretaries-general and told them to continue delivering service to the people. These were his lieutenants in times of crisis.

He played an important role as his presence was required when the King was interviewing lawmakers individually at Istana Negara to gauge their response to whether a new prime minister should be picked and who they would support, or whether Parliament should be dissolved.

Under the current unity government, Prime Minister Datuk Seri Anwar Ibrahim is slowly rebuilding confidence between ministers and civil servants.

“I think this government will have clearer policies after the state elections in August and Budget 2024 is tabled in Parliament.

“The way I see it now, is this government is trying very hard to hold itself together.

“You don’t see them complementing each other so much unlike when Barisan Nasional was in power. The lack of leadership and vision in the last few years have resulted in ministries working in silos,” says a senior civil servant.

At one time, the line of communication between the civil service and the Prime Minister’s Office (PMO) was disrupted when non-PTD officers were brought in to manage the PMO.

It was difficult to get an appointment with the prime minister to update him on issues. Complaints were often made that the prime minister was “protected” and many wondered if their messages were getting across.

What are the criteria and values the next chief secretary should have?

One of the challenges facing Malaysia is the economy, of course, and getting the country back on its feet. The chief secretary to the government must also be up to date on turbulent geopolitics around the world.

The country needs thinkers and not just doers, and this applies not only to political leadership. The civil service must be able to stand up to politicians because their agenda is for the country and the people. They need to remain professional and provide continuity because if the government loses the plot, the country will suffer even more without at least that stability.

Whoever is appointed to the job must have the ability to work well and have a good rapport with the many secretaries-general to ensure there is coordination among ministries and agencies.

Perhaps there will be a surprise candidate after all, like what had happened in 1996. Tan Sri Abdul Halim Ali, then the Foreign Ministry’s secretary-general, was barely a month in office when he was appointed as chief secretary to the government. His appointment came as a surprise because he was the first from Wisma Putra to hold the post.

Will history repeat itself or will a candidate from the state civil service make the cut? Will that be an advantage or add to the problems because there is a lack of interaction with the wider group of civil servants in the home sector or those at the federal level?

Even if Mohd Zuki stays on until next year, the race to be the next chief secretary will further intensify in the next one year.

Watch this space.