ON my birthday this year, I visited the Road Transport Department (RTD) in Petaling Jaya to renew my driving licence.

A visit to a public service department has always been associated with “inefficiency”, “long waiting times” and “huge crowds”. However, it was the opposite at RTD that day.

According to a survey conducted by the Malaysian Institute of Integrity in 2022, 54% of Malaysians expressed dissatisfaction with the overall quality of civil service delivery.

This sentiment stems from various factors, including bureaucratic red tape, lack of accountability, delayed response times and inconsistent service standards across different government agencies.

These shortcomings contribute to public dissatisfaction, hindering citizens’ access to efficient services and diminishing trust in the civil service.

However, my visit to RTD has given me second thoughts about these stereotypical perceptions, particularly regarding the digitalisation of public service delivery and the engagement of civil servants with citizens.

The JPJeQ smart app serves as a complementary digital platform designed to address the inefficiency of public services by tackling the issue of long waiting times.

All we need to do is download the app on our mobile phones, scan a QR code at the counter, select the relevant service and the queue number will be displayed.

Visitors will be clearly notified about the real-time numbering and estimated wait times at the counter.

A notification will be sent to remind the visitor when their turn comes.

With this app, visitors have the flexibility of planning their schedules, especially when they need to run errands across different departments.

In fact, the ongoing digital revolution presents an opportunity for the Malaysian civil service to enhance service delivery and efficiency.

Nonetheless, while commendable progress has been made, more efforts are needed to fully embrace digital solutions and automation.

Such initiatives should be a centrally coordinated effort across all public services, not restricted to RTD alone.

All public service departments should have a centralised platform like JPJeQ to optimise their services to the public.

Furthermore, awareness is a significant challenge as many people are not aware of the app or are unfamiliar with digitalisation of one particular department is employing.

In 2021, the World Bank reported that adoption of citizen-centric digital solutions is a key challenge to the people.

Malaysia ranks low in the World Bank GovTech Maturity Index, which indicates that there is a need to establish a more systematic engagement at design, execution, and monitoring of the digital platform.

I have written about the ground situations faced by many senior citizens and less tech-savvy users, which hinder their business operations.

In view of this, establishing robust mechanisms for citizen engagement, including public consultations, feedback portals and interactive social media platforms, can bridge the gap between the civil service and citizens, leading to more effective service delivery.

Having said that, civil servants play a crucial role in providing quality services and professional guidance.

Investing in the capacity-building and continuous training of civil servants is important to improving service delivery as it is imperative to ensure that civil servants possess the necessary skills, knowledge and ethical conduct to serve the public effectively.

As Malaysian citizens heavily rely on government services for their daily needs, understanding public perception towards the civil service is essential.

Improving digital infrastructure and expanding e-governance initiatives will not only expedite processes but also foster transparency, reduce bureaucratic hurdles and enhance citizen satisfaction.

By doing so, Malaysia can pave the way for a modern and efficient civil service that truly serves the aspirations of its people. – June 19, 2023.

* Iris Ng Pei Yi reads The Malaysian Insight.

* This is the opinion of the writer or publication and does not necessarily represent the views of The Malaysian Insight. Article may be edited for brevity and clarity.