THE clarification made by the chief secretary to the government via Twitter a few days ago on the delay in processing the appointments of Pakatan Harapan political appointees should put to rest the unwanted publicity that has further tarnished the image of the civil service. It is not an act of sabotage but rather to ensure that the appointment is done according to the standard operating procedures.
When Pakatan took over Putrajaya, it was revealed that the previous government had more than 17,000 political appointees and incurred a huge expenditure for remuneration and other perks. This unfortunate situation should not be allowed to recur, and the new government with its clarion call to eradicate corruption, abuse and mismanagement should allow the Public Service Department (PSD) and Public Service Commission (PSC) to do their job without fear or favour.