FINALLY, the new cabinet has been assembled after a long selection process. Even though many who were appointed have little or no government experience, the line-up includes professionals in various fields.

In this situation, I strongly believe the role of the civil service is important in giving the right advice on the government’s rules and regulation as it has always been the backbone of the country since independence.

I am sure that as the nation moves forward under the new government, the role played by the civil service in serving the rakyat will become even more important.

Nevertheless, there must be clear guidelines to differentiate between the role of the political leadership and civil service. 

In this context, the civil service is obliged to serve the government of the day and share the same beliefs and values before translating them into workable plans. In other words, civil servants must work for the people and rebuild the country yet remain impartial and non-partisan.

Political leadership, on the other hand, get a sense of the ground before deciding on the nation’s direction, selling policies to the public and making them work. More importantly, political leadership must protect civil servants from political interference and not involve them in political activities.

However, despite these distinctive roles, the political leadership and civil servants must work hand in glove to provide the best service they can, with each understanding their respective roles. – July 9, 2018.

* Ahmad Shahir Abdul Aziz read 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.