PUTRAJAYA — Prime Minister Datuk Seri Anwar Ibrahim today said reforms in the public sector must be carried out immediately, noting there were still some areas he was not satisfied with.
“You can expect September to be a month of more vigorous reform movements.
“I will be holding discussions with Chief Secretary to the Government Datuk Seri Shamsul Azri Abu Bakar and Director-General of Public Service Datuk Seri Wan Ahmad Dahlan Abdul Aziz, to determine the necessary steps to further improve the already commendable performance,” the prime minister said during a monthly assembly for the Prime Minister’s Department.
Also present were Deputy Prime Ministers Datuk Seri Ahmad Zahid Hamidi and Datuk Seri Fadillah Yusof, as well as Shamsul Azri and Wan Ahmad Dahlan.
Anwar, who is also finance minister, addressed several areas of the public service deemed still unsatisfactory, and urged all parties to promptly implement improvements.
“The merging of agencies and departments has not been satisfactorily completed, and unnecessary staffing overlaps have yet to be resolved.
“Reports from department heads, directors-general, and unit heads regarding the sluggishness and negligence of some officers have not reached a satisfactory level. We need to make significant changes in these areas,” he said.
Public service reforms must be immediately enforced, he added, to ensure the government delivers its promises meant to ensure the people’s well-being.
“The speed and efficiency of implementing changes should match the demands of the era and time. (Perhaps) there are some long-standing regulations that are good and should be continued, but others need to be adjusted in focus and priority,” said Anwar.
He also called on civil servants to give full cooperation to the newly appointed Shamsul Azri, as they did previously to former chief secretary to the government Tan Sri Mohd Zuki Ali. — September 2, 2024