CIVIL servants were today told not to overreact to Prime Minister Dr Mahathir Mohamad’s recent comments on downsizing the civil service, assuring them that any such move would be well-planned and gradual.

Bersatu president Muhyiddin Yassin said Dr Mahathir’s comments were in the context of the country going through an industrialisation process in which human labour would soon give way to technological advancements.

“It’s better if they read the statement throughly. He said maybe there would be change, an industrialisation process in machinery and technology,” he told a press conference in Semenyih today.

Muhyiddin said any process to reduce the number of civil servants should be done in phases.

“I hope the statement will not be misinterpreted.

“I know it’s unpopular. Civil servants will be angry and they won’t support Pakatan Harapan.

“I would not agree to it if (Dr Mahathir) wanted to reduce the size either tomorrow or next year,” he said.

Earlier today, Dr Mahathir had said Malaysia’s civil service sector was too large and should be reduced. 

However, he had also admitted that problems would arise if the civil service was downsized. 

He had said this could be curbed by the full utilisation of information technology and computers, but that it would still lead to an increase in the country’s unemployment rate. – February 21, 2019.