THE recent transfer of seven officers out of the Public Service Department (PSD) is not related to the delay in approving political appointees to ministers and deputy ministers, said the chief secretary to the government.

Ismail Bakar said only some among those transferred were linked to the delay and the seven were transferred as they had been working too long in PSD.

“Some of them are related (to the delay) but not all of them. We are looking at it on a case by case basis.

“This is normal procedure. They have been in the PSD for too long. We need to give them some experience in different departments,” he told The Malaysian Insight when contacted today.

He, however, declined to elaborate further.

The seven officers, including one director and six deputy directors, were sent away on courses before being transferred out, said a source who claimed it was linked to the political appointments.

“Last week they already had orders to go out from PSD, a director and six deputy directors,” the source told The Malaysian Insight on condition of anonymity.

The source questioned Ismail’s speedy action on the officers and suggested he was “bowing to political pressure”.

Ismail took over as chief secretary on August 29 and has vowed to clean up the service and keep it neutral from politics.

“The (Pakatan Harapan) manifesto said they will free the civil service from political influence.

“The officers were sent on courses but then were transferred to another department. Is it supposed to be a signal to other government officers,” he asked.

The Malaysian Insight today quoted several ministerial officers that the Public Service Commission (PSC) was sabotaging them by placing them in lower grades and delaying their salaries.

Ismail also denied the claims there was sabotage and said the previous Barisan Nasional government erroneously misused the appointing power.

Among the complaints from the newly-appointed officers were that their salaries did not reflect their working experience and PSC was going against Prime Minister Dr Mahathir Mohamad despite him having signed their consent letters.

It was reported in August that the new contract staff for PH did not get paid nor offer letters after almost three months on the job. Several officers have yet to receive their contracts and salaries.

Dr Mahathir also said the new government was slow to implement the changes needed as top government officers were “sabotaging” the new administration. – September 11, 2018.