Civil servants ‘sabotaging’ new officers, defying PM’s order

Kamles Kumar Kamles Kumar Updated 5 years ago · Published on 11 Sep 2018 7:00AM · 12 Comments

Prime Minister Dr Mahathir Mohamad has had to intervene in the case of special officers not receiving their offer letters and paycheque more than three months after the installation of the Pakatan Harapan government.– The Malaysian Insight pic by Najjua Zulkefli, September 11, 2018.

THE Public Service Commission (PSC) is sabotaging officers appointed by the Pakatan Harapan government, said sources.

The PSC and Public Service Department (PSD) are even going against the orders of Prime Minister Dr Mahathir Mohamad, the sources said.

PSD officers took it upon themselves to reassign grades of these newly appointed officers to respective ministers in Dr Mahathir’s cabinet, they added.

For someone to be appointed to be an officer, the requirements include a letter of consent from the minister or deputy minister and consent from the prime minister.

This is according to the PSD’s circular dated 2012.

However, the circular does not state if the PSD or PSC has the powers to assign officers to various grades.

“They (PSD) said, PM can give his consent… but at the end of the day, it’s PSD and PSC who decide our grades. Whether or not we deserve the consented grade,” a source told The Malaysian Insight.

The officers affected were those given grade 52 by the ministers and reassigned by the PSC to grade 48, which is the lowest grade of an officer.

“My minister wants me to be a grade 54 officer but PSC and PSD gave me grade 48. Their reason is my lack of experience,” a ministry source said.  

Salaries are according to the grades.

Among the non-verbal conditions put in place by PSC for officers being hired as political appointees is three years’ experience serving in the private sector is equivalent to a year in the public sector.

“If the press secretary has never been a press secretary, then PSC will lower the grade.

“Three years in the private sector equal one year in civil service, so PSC can lower the pay since you only worked a few years,” another source said.

This includes officers who once served at the top post in the private sector.

Another affected officer said the commission also told him that the reason they are giving a lower salary was because his qualification was not on a par despite the minister’s consent.

The officers have made appeals for grade revisions to the PSC, which have gone unheard.  

“We had to write several appeal letters and there are no replies,” a source said.  

Chief Secretary to the Government Ismail Bakar replaced Ali Hamsa only a fortnight ago and has to deal with the headache of his officers going against the wishes of the Pakatan Harapan government. – The Malaysian Insight file pic, September 11, 2018.

One ministry source said the issue arose when PSD refused to take instructions from the PM and exercised its own discretion.

“As per the 2012 government circular, the PM and the ministers approved the appointments of new special officers, private secretaries and media officers and even indicated the salaries the new contract staff should be paid but PSD ignored these instructions.

“PSD assigned its own grades. And even those who previously worked in government, they were assigned lower grades,” said the source.

According to the 2012 circular item 14.3 (b) (ii), those who have worked in the government previously should be paid the same amount subject to the maximum level in the grade.

The issue, said the source, was brought up to the prime minister on August 17 and during the subsequent cabinet meeting, it was discovered that the problem was widespread.

“This never used to happen under the Barisan Nasional government, where PSD would just carry out the instructions from the cabinet. But it’s strange that it is happening now,” said the source.

He added that the prime minister had to sort out the problem again after that.

The Malaysian Insight has contacted the Chief Secretary to the Government Ismail Bakar for a response.

It was reported in August that the new contract staff for Pakatan Harapan did not get paid or offer letters after almost three months on the job.

Several officers have yet to receive their contracts and paycheques until now.

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.

Sign up or sign in here to comment.

Comments

  • NO WONDER DR. MAHATHIR IS READY TO QUIT AS PM. THIS IS TOO MUCH FOR HIM TO GRAPPLE WITH, THIS INSUBORDINATION..

    Posted 5 years ago by MELVILLE JAYATHISSA · Reply

  • Look at the positive sides. Now, PH knows who cannot work professionally and follows orders. Just get rid of all this "leftover by BN" fast.

    Posted 5 years ago by Thomas Tiong · Reply

  • Assigning the tangga gaji is the within the power of the PSC under our Constitution. But our government institutions has completely corrupted by UMNO and BTN, the PSC should be called to justify their actions.

    Posted 5 years ago by J Zhen · Reply

  • To most of us in the private sector, we will most likely consider working experience in civil service is irrelevant as most of them are having wrong mentality and working attitude. They are the spoiled group of people with low productivity. One private sector workers can handle at least 3 civil servants jobs.

    Posted 5 years ago by Chee yee ng · Reply

  • I have 2 suggestions for this problem. 1. Make sure that no two members f the same family work in the same department. Worse if one is holding a higher position, This is very common in universities and GLCs, where head wants his way. 2. Stop all heads of departments from indulging into Whats Apps Islamic 'doe' circulation to members of the staff and public. Why must office time be used for this kind of activities, which boarders into fear mongering and false teaching.

    Posted 5 years ago by Shaikh karim · Reply

    • ...this is all done to hoodwink their staff, on their naughty & corrupt behaviors ...

      Posted 5 years ago by Sabah One · Reply

  • Please for the love of God sack the deadwood and create a civil service that is professional and just does the job given by any government of the day. This is a good time to reduce the bloated force and get rid of the aunties in there who do MLM selling during office hours!

    Posted 5 years ago by K Pop · Reply

    • So true .....

      Posted 5 years ago by Sabah One · Reply

  • Sabotaged!

    Posted 5 years ago by Sabah One · Reply

  • Perhaps some heads should roll in PSD for insubordination. Unless there is casualty, PSD and PSC will continue to take matters into their own hands

    Posted 5 years ago by Roger 5201 · Reply

  • Get rid of them and See them in court if they wish

    Posted 5 years ago by Jon Lang · Reply