IN his maiden address to civil servants in Putrajaya today, Prime Minister Dr Mahathir Mohamad urged them to join the new government in rebuilding Malaysia to become the highly respected nation it once was.

“This is our fight,” Dr Mahathir told some 1,000 civil servants working under the Prime Minister’s Office.

“I am frustrated because we used to have the best administrative body among the Commonwealth countries, and we get to carry out our duties successfully, but today, our country is no longer respected and the administrator no longer highly respected.

“It is our duty to rebuild this country.”

Dr Mahathir said those working in the government have to be efficient and more importantly, abide by the administrative system.

“A good administrative job has to be done by those who really want to serve the country.”

Civil servants should also reject any instruction that goes against the law.

“But in the past, they do not have the power to advise or stop anything that went against the law maybe because they were bribed or afraid. But those who have done wrong will have to face the rule of law.

“We have to remember what is wrong is still wrong and any wrongdoing will be dealt with according to the law. Only then we can clean up the administration.”

He said the country has to be governed according to the law. – May 21, 2018.