WORK is carries on as usual for most civil servants despite the news of transfers and alleged problems between high-level officers and elected politicians.

Their jobs and functions as police, nurses, teachers and soldiers have not been affected amid talk of a “deep state” acting against the Pakatan Harapan (PH) administration, said Cuepacs, the umbrella group that represents civil service unions.

Cuepacs president Mohd Azih Muda told The Malaysian Insight that civil servants’ level of dedication under PH was the same as it was under the previous Barisan Nasional regime.

“Our work is the same, we’re just earning a paycheque. We don’t get involved in all the politics between the officers and the (elected) politicians.

“Whichever party is in charge, we will follow what they say. Our loyalty is to the government of the day,” said Azih, who also heads a union representing staff in local councils and local authorities.

He added the union had heard about some of the transfers, involving ministry secretaries-general, but did not have an opinion on them.

“I don’t really know what to say because these officers are not our members. Our members are unaffected.”

Cuepacs represents civil servants Grade 48 and below, who are the majority in government bureaucracy.

The Malaysian Insight had reported that the transfer of several secretaries-general is on the cards as the administration tries to address problems caused by an alleged “deep state” within the civil service, according to sources.

Sources from different ministries said there are at least eight transfers to be made by year end, as Putrajaya starts to look more closely into claims of sabotage.

It will be the first major reshuffle since PH took over the federal government and is taking place as revelations surface about decisions on projects or tenders executed without knowledge of ministers.

Eight of the ministries affected, according to sources, are Agriculture and Agro-based Industries, Rural and Regional Development; Tourism, Arts and Culture; Human Resources; Education; Communications and Multimedia; Works; and Entrepreneur Development.

PH officials have also claimed the prosecution of two state lawmakers under anti-terror laws was the work of deep state elements within the police force and Attorney-General’s Chambers.

The arrest of the two, along with 10 others for supposedly trying to revive a defunct Sri Lankan Tamil militant group, was aimed at politically damaging the ruling coalition, deputy minister Sivarasa Rasiah said recently.

Previously, PH blamed deep state elements for derailing efforts to ratify the Rome Statute, which would have made Malaysia a member of the International Criminal Court. – November 29, 2019.