KUALA LUMPUR, Oct 8 (Bernama) -- The restoration work on Malaysian embassies abroad is being carried out in phases, based on priority and availability of funding, said Foreign Minister Datuk Seri Mohamad Hasan.
He explained that many of the country's representative office buildings are aged and require major maintenance, but the annual allocation received by the ministry is relatively limited.
Embassy restorations are in progress in Canberra and Paris, have been completed in Bangkok, and are nearing completion in Moscow.
"Our challenge is the same as other ministries. We request a large amount (of funding), but what is approved is modest. It's a situation of making do with limited resources," he said during his winding-up speech on the motion related to his ministry in the Dewan Rakyat today.
Mohamad added that building maintenance is now managed through facility management companies at several representative offices, particularly for Malaysian government-owned properties abroad.
However, he noted that certain countries, such as the United Kingdom, require maintenance services to be split by specialised trades, such as plumbing, electrical, and other facilities, making the process more complex.
Addressing the issue of staffing at the ministry, Mohamad reported that 1,422 out of a total of 1,709 required positions have been filled, leaving a shortfall of 287 officers, representing a vacancy rate of approximately 17 percent.
He added that this staffing shortage is expected to ease following the conclusion of Malaysia’s ASEAN chairmanship, which had required many officers to be assigned to support the ASEAN Secretariat.
“At Wisma Putra alone, there are 97 vacant positions, while overseas missions account for another 190 vacancies.
“After the ASEAN meetings conclude, officers who were assembled here will be redeployed to departments or overseas missions experiencing significant staffing shortages,” he said.
-- BERNAMA
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