MORE PICS – 3P & PEMUDAH for Increasing EFFICIENCY & EFFECTIVENESS of Government Delivery System (GDS)?; Hishammuddin: ..”It is hard to FIRE someone…"
Ridiculous MAMPU Deadline (Feb 20 07) For ideas to Improve the Delivery System. The announcement came out on the 13th Feb and with the CNY holidays; barely there is time for anyone to put forth some concrete ideas. They should have no deadline to continuously receive ideas. And Bakri Musa have some concrete suggestions.
One of the effective ways to improve the delivery systems is to ensue the office working and opening hours are strictly adhered to and not allowed the local warlords or little Napoleons to impose their own
Have you ideas to improve the delivery system?; NST;
Proposals should be sent to improve@mampu.gov.my before Feb 20.
Mampu is in the middle of drawing up an agenda to empower the delivery system with the aim of establishing a modern, responsive and efficient public service based on excellent administration. "The desired objective is to develop capability, efficiency and effectiveness of the public service. "This effort has to be stepped up through administrative improvement towards establishing a service for clients which incorporates speed, volume and accuracy," the statement said. The effort will be confined to the
Little Limp Napoleons and Mighty Ming Emperors
If Prime Minister Abdullah cannot handle the Little Limp Napoleons in the bloated Malaysian bureaucracy, there is little assurance that he could deal with the Mighty Ming Emperors of the competitive world.
We had a preview of this in the bungled negotiations over the proposed crooked bridge to replace the causeway. That was an embarrassingly graphic demonstration of the administration’s ineptness. If that was Abdullah’s performance in dealing with representatives of only a Little Ming Emperor, imagine if the adversary had been the big Ming Emperor! In the negotiations with
The Problems
It is ironic that Abdullah, being a former longtime civil servant, could not discipline those Little Napoleons. Going by the precept that it would take a thief to catch another, Abdullah should be the best person to reform the civil service and rein in those little Napoleons. Unfortunately this former Little Napoleon has become an even bigger Napoleon, albeit still a limp one, on becoming Prime Minister.
In my book Towards A Competitive Malaysia, I wrote that Malays have special reasons in demanding an efficient civil service. One, it is needed to implement the various NEP programs to help Malays. Two, being an increasingly if not exclusively Malay institution, its deficiencies are thus viewed as the failings of the race. The civil service has at least three significant problems: insularity, lack of specialization, and the brief tenure of its senior heads. Promotions are strictly from within, with no infusion of fresh talent at the upper levels. Recruits enter at the lowest level and work their way up patiently. Personnel are transferred all over the service, with few opportunities to develop areas of competence. You may be in Treasury this year and in charge of old buildings the next. As officers wait patiently for their turn, they reach the top only near their retirement age. Then they are left wondering whether their contract would be renewed. When renewed, it is often only for short durations.
Such agency heads would then be consumed with planning their post retirement careers. The temptation (and reality) would be to suck up to their superiors in the hope of extending their contracts or securing a plump directorship in one of the GLCs. Thus at the time when they should be independent and assertive after reaching the pinnacle of their careers, they become docile and not dare challenge their political superiors. If I were to survey the top 100 civil servants, this is what I would find. They would be mostly Malays, liberal arts graduates of local public universities, science illiterate, have abysmal mathematical skills, and little facility with English. Their reading repertoire does not extend beyond local publications. Do not expect them to read the Economist or Wall Street Journal. They do not own a laptop, meaning that when they are away from their offices, they cannot do their office work or communicate except by phone.
The late Tun Razak recognized early the weaknesses of the civil service. Instead of endlessly lamenting or criticizing the state of affairs, he invited an American consultant, Milton Esman, to spruce up the service. To me, the revealing aspect of Esman’s work was not his official report rather the book he wrote chronicling his local experiences. Particularly trenchant were his observations on the habits and work culture of our senior civil servants. For example, he was flabbergasted to find that in the official meetings of the Secretaries-General (KSU), the ministries’ number one civil servants, the bulk of the discussions were on trivia like who would get which prized government quarters! One would have expected substantive discussions on major policies. There has been no change since then.
The Remedies
It would not take much to change the work culture of the civil service. A few high-level recruitments from the outside would quickly break the insularity of the service. Imagine recruiting a senior executive from a multinational corporation to be the next Chief Secretary; he would revamp the work culture right away. The impact on the other senior civil servants would also be immediate. Knowing that the top slot is not theirs automatically, they would now buckle down to prove themselves. A few such high level infusions of talent would shake up the civil service in no time.
Next would be to recruit graduates from disciplines other than the liberal arts and encourage those professionals in the civil service (engineers, lawyers, and doctors) who have an interest in management to go for their MBAs. I fail to see why a doctor or engineer could not be a Secretary-General, especially for those ministries that have a high professional component, like Health and Works. As recommended by Esman, there should be specialization within the civil service, with officers rotated only within their special sphere of expertise. Ministries like Treasury, Trade and Industry, Customs, and Taxation with their high accounting and economics content could be one area.
Another would be Transport, Environment, and Works Ministries with their high technology contents. Third would be those concerned with security, and fourth, foreign affairs. Lastly, there should be greater competition for the top slots. When vacancies occur, they should be open to outside candidates as well as those within the service that are three or four layers below so as to tap the widest and deepest pool of talent. When officers get the top spot, they should be given at least a five-year term even if they are within a year or two of the official retirement age. That would give them time to stamp their mark. Besides, with such job security they would be less likely to be shy in challenging stupid ideas coming from their political superiors. The nation would then be well served. Implementing these reforms would require minimal changes in the civil service code or personnel policies. Nor would these changes incur additional costs.The major obstacle would be for the Prime Minister, being a former civil servant himself, to accept these innovations. The “not invented here” syndrome is ingrained in our civil servants. For that to change, the Prime Minster, his advisers and senior civil servants would first have to expand their intellectual horizon considerably. That would be the challenge.
The 3P and PEMUDAH are sorely needed in this sorely bloated and obese government machinery. But herein lies the problem as pronouned by the Education Minister “In our system, it is hard to fire someone. If I can’t sack them, they can stay in the pool until they retire”. The government cannot touch them just like those on AWOL (absence without leave also NO Question asked. Just look at their opening hours, you can see who are the shirkers.
They are stickler to the rules and created by them for their own conveniences WITH ALL the EXCUSES. There are far TOO many warlords in the various government departments and they are wielding their own powers and setting terms and conditions at their own whims and fancies and giving out notices in the name of the Director. One such Department is the Veterinary Service Department Clinic located at Jalan Cheras Kuala Lumpur. It is the ONLY government clinic in the whole of Kula Lumpur providing the much needed services for the animals. But look at their working clinical hours. And do you think they carry out surgeries daily? Most of the time, the officer is out on MORE important jobs (see list Below)
Look at the clinic hours, every department has Friday prayers but this department also observes “Thursday prayers” - no work on Thursday afternoon!. You will be LUCKY if they observed these stated hours.
The notice (below) further shock you, supposed to be from the Director, the Seperti Biasa (common hours) in the afternoon is from
So all in how many officially clinical hours they do; Mon to Wed 7 Thu & Fri = 23 hours. And mind you registration stops at 11.30 am another ½ hour gone and minus up to 3.30 pm, we have 23 hrs – (3x ¾ hrs + 5 x ½ hr) = 23 hrs – 4-3/4hrs = 18-1/4 hrs out of a total 40- hour week.
Of course even if the Minister Myhuddin confronts them, they will be excuses; they need to go site visit, (to check on the no of livestock arriving as per permit; no hanky panky in smuggling) meetings & paper work This outside visit for enforcement etc (see list below) for the officer is of course more lucrative, they get mileage claims.
Then why the Hospital Kuala Lumpur CAN observe a full 8 clinical hours? (see BELOW) and this would really put them to shame.
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And it is no better in Dewan Bandar RAYA KL (ABOVE). Even if you need to pay a summons, you MUST wait sometimes. There are TWO counters (and if one staff is on sick leave) the other need to take his lunch and was back at
This is working to rule; they cannot have “take away” lunch to man the empty counters which are supposed to be opened non-stop. (see BELOW). Someone should be there at the stated opening hours
The list can go on. Go to Traffic Police HQ in Jln Tun H S Lee and they would not accept your fines at
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‘Pool of doom’ warning; By KAREN CHAPMAN; educate@thestar.com.my
PUTRAJAYA: Education officers and teachers have been warned that if they do not know the National Education Blueprint 2006-2010 inside out, and implement it well, they will be left in a “pool of doom” until retirement. Education Minister Datuk Seri Hishammuddin Tun Hussein said that with the announcement of the improvement in conditions for those at state and district levels, there should be more commitment in the implementation of the blueprint. “There is no place in our delivery system for those who don’t perform. If there is a need for us to create a pool to place teachers and officers who don’t perform, we will do so,” he said when announcing the restructuring of state education departments at the ministry yesterday.
“In our system, it is hard to fire someone. If I can’t sack them, they can stay in the pool until they retire. “If they don't perform, they are doomed; because if I don’t perform, I am doomed as the minister,” he added. On the restructuring, Hishammuddin said this would take effect immediately. Among important changes is the increase of state education department officers by 188% – involving 518 graduates – to ensure efficient delivery of the blueprint. Another is the upgrading of three state education departments, namely, Kedah, Pahang and Kelantan, to A grade, and Perlis to B, and the setting up of new sectors and units. The
Hishammuddin said the increase in staff would also address the teacher shortage problem because as at December last year, the state education departments had borrowed 1,108 staff, including 390 graduate teachers. “We want to ensure they have enough human resources capacity to implement everything in the blueprint,” he added. Hishammuddin said the restructuring would also see the inclusion of diplomatic administrative officers, information technology officers and accountants into the state education departments, as this was approved by the Public Service Department recently.
The last restructuring process took place in 1995, he added.
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PM Announces New Committee To Tackle Problems In Public Sector
PUTRAJAYA, Feb 8 (Bernama) -- Datuk Seri Abdullah Ahmad Badawi Thursday announced the formation of a new committee called the Public Service Delivery Coordination Committee (its Bahasa
He told this to reporters after the Yang di-Pertuan Agong Tuanku Mizan Zainal Abidin's visit to the Prime Minister's Office here. Abdullah, who is also the Finance Minister, said the committee would meet fortnightly or more often if required. "Its set-up is in line with the government's aim of making 2007 the year for increasing the efficiency and effectiveness of the government's delivery system," he added. The Prime Minister gave the example of how his department had improved its efficiency in matters of payment with 98 per cent of transactions now being settled within seven days against a given time-frame of two weeks. "It still needs to be improved by another two per cent, let it be 100 per cent. We also must maintain the efficiency level achieved," said Abdullah, adding that the achievement was part of the contents of his briefing for the King. He hoped that with the setting up the 3P committee and Pemudah (the Special Task Force to Facilitate Business), the public service delivery system would perform much better.
"With this (3P and Pemudah), I hope the people will gain more and also help boost the implementation of development projects and programmes," he said. Its set up was in line with the government's aim of making 2007 the year for increasing the efficiency and effectiveness of the government's delivery system, he said. The Prime Minister gave the example of how his department had improved its efficiency in matters of payment with 98 per cent of transactions now being settled within seven days against a timeline of two weeks given. "It still needs to be improved by another two per cent, let it be 100 per cent. We also must maintain the efficiency level achieved," said Abdullah, adding that the achievement was part of the contents of his briefing to Tuanku Mizan. He further hoped that with the setting up the 3P committee and Pemudah (the Special Task Force to Facilitate Business), the public service delivery system would perform much better. "With this (3P and Pemudah), I hope the people will gain more and also help boost the implementation of development projects and programmes," he said.
The Prime Minister also said that Key Performance Indices (KPIs) were in place to measure various categories of performance in the public sector. This included KPIs on corruption, efficiency and effectiveness in delivery, families' well being, courtesy and values and on social responsibility. "A review on them (KPIs) will be made periodically, the next one will most likely be in September," he said, adding that the heads of department would be held responsible for meeting the targets set. To a question, he said that the government was constantly monitoring the performance of public sector personnel and that reshuffling was done if thought necessary. Abdullah added that the steps taken (setting up Pemudah and 3P committee) were part of renewal efforts for a more effective implementation of the Ninth
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PM Gives Task Force Six Months To Make A Difference
PUTRAJAYA, Feb 6 (Bernama) -- Datuk Seri Abdullah Ahmad Badawi is giving the newly-established Special Task Force to Facilitate Business (Pemudah) six months to show results. "I hope it (Pemudah) can achieve significant results in improving the delivery system. I will give them six months to make a difference," the Prime Minister told a press conference after the Yang di-Pertuan Agong Tuanku Mizan Zainal Abidin's visit to the Prime Minister's Office here Thursday. Abdullah said he wanted the representatives from the public and private sectors selected to participate in Pemudah to prove that they were serious about bringing changes and to always attend the meetings scheduled.
"Pemudah will hold meetings often to find solutions to problems that arise in the relationship between the public and private sectors and to give its views on new approaches that can be taken to help the government improve efficiency all round," he added. The Prime Minister's Department Wednesday announced that Pemudah, which Abdullah on Jan 11 said would be formed to help enhance business, would be jointly chaired by the Chief Secretary to the Government Tan Sri Mohd Sidek Hassan and Federation of Malaysian Manufacturers (FMM) president Datuk Yong Poh Kon. Among others, Pemudah is entrusted with the responsibility of promoting faster reform in the country's delivery system and enhance economic activities. Abdullah, who is also Finance Minister, said the task force's 23 members would need to set in their minds that they were capable of achieving the objectives given.
"Tak boleh kata nothing (Cannot say nothing), we achieve nothing or nothing is happening. How can? You can (do it)," he said, stressing that the body was not a forum for dialogue between the public and private sectors. "This body is in line with the Malaysia Inc concept. We want Pemudah to be a success as it is a win-win proposition for everyone, the government, the people and businessmen," he said. To a question, Abdullah said the government would find ways to motivate civil servants to bring about improvements to public service delivery system.
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= = == see also the latest posting on Breakdown of Discipline and inhuman ragging in the Air Force Training College in Badawi's Kepala Batas. Go H E R E on
MORE PICTURES – AIR FORCE TRAINEE, 20 TORTURED By Seniors for Over a Month after Misunderstanding over a Girl ; Dunked in Water Till Vomit; Washed, Gargle in Sewerage, Drink Urine; Eat Nasi lemak with Grass, Rubbing Shit on Face
posted by multidimid at 7:07 PM
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