YOUNG CIVIL SERVANTS SHOULD BE GIVEN TRAINING, EXPOSURE TO TECHNICAL FIELDS - PM ANWAR

PUTRAJAYA, Jan 3 (Bernama) -- Young civil servants should be provided with extensive exposure and training in critical areas such as artificial intelligence (AI) and energy transition to enhance their competence, said Prime Minister Datuk Seri Anwar Ibrahim.

Anwar, who is also the Finance Minister, emphasised that this approach would not only ensure that the younger generation understood the aspirations of the MADANI Government but would also equip them with the necessary skills to tackle current challenges.

“I have repeatedly stressed that opportunities for training and growth must be fully provided to civil servants, especially the younger generation,” he said.

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“I want to see in a few years that our capabilities surpass those of external consultants. What is lacking in our civil servants? Your training, competence and strength are different from the theoretical framework,” he said at the Prime Minister's Department’s monthly assembly here today, which was attended by more than 1,000 civil servants.

Also present were Deputy Prime Minister Datuk Seri Dr Ahmad Zahid Hamidi and Chief Secretary to the Government Tan Sri Shamsul Azri Abu Bakar.

Furthermore, the Prime Minister expressed his aspiration for Malaysian civil servants to serve as a model of excellence among developing countries.

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The Prime Minister highlighted that the commendable performance of Malaysia's public service has garnered attention from foreign nations, such as Peru and Egypt, both of which have expressed a strong interest in collaborating with Malaysia in various areas.

“In a recent meeting in Peru, President Dina Ercilia Boluarte Zegarra, expressed her interest to cooperate with the Malaysian Anti-Corruption Commission (MACC), praising its strength and effectiveness, noting the impactful actions which have been taken,” he shared.

“Similarly, in Egypt, President Abdel Fattah El-Sisi has requested that relations and cooperation with Malaysia's public service be strengthened. He closely monitors developments in our country, and values the methods of governance and administration we employ,” Anwar added.

The Prime Minister also urged all secretaries-general of ministries and directors-general, not to simply maintain the status quo, but to actively seek out innovative and more efficient approaches to enhance the public service.

He emphasised that meaningful transformation can only be achieved through a genuine commitment to duty, and a continuous drive to improve the system.

“We must find new methods, and avoid complacency which leads to a ‘comfortable culture.’ Rather than focusing on comparisons - whether it's about countries, years, or specific examples - we need to explore the benefits which can strengthen our nation, and elevate it as a great country,” he said.

The Prime Minister also highlighted the improvements in approval processes, where procedures which once took months have now been reduced to a few weeks. However, he hopes that this process will be further expedited, ideally to just one week.

Moreover, Anwar emphasised the importance of digital transformation in enhancing public service processes, particularly in areas like licence renewals.

“People should no longer have to endure long queues or take time off work for such tasks. Instead, the process can be completed easily and quickly through digital platforms,” he said.

-- BERNAMA