Civil Service Reforms Deliver Tangible Benefits To People - Chief Secretary

PUTRAJAYA, Aug 12 (Bernama) -- Public service reforms initiated over the past year have achieved significant results, with Malaysia’s position in the IMD World Competitiveness Ranking jumping from 34th to 23rd place in 2025, said Chief Secretary to the Government Tan Sri Shamsul Azri Abu Bakar.

He said the sharp improvement was partly driven by the Government Efficiency factor, which rose eight spots from 33rd to 25th place last year following the implementation of various reform initiatives.

“Many of these achievements were driven by a forum called STAR (Special Task Force on Agency Reform). It is a platform that discusses ways to improve public service delivery to the people.

“This improvement is an ongoing effort. We must improve at all times. Timelines are just numbers — what matters is that the improvements can be felt by the people and bring them tangible benefits,” he told reporters after the “Reform Is a Must” session with the Chief Secretary to the Government, held here today in conjunction with the first anniversary of public service reforms.

Also present were Public Service Department (JPA) director-general Tan Sri Wan Ahmad Dahlan Abdul Aziz and nearly 1,000 civil servants. 

Shamsul Azri said among the successes was expediting approval processes at local authorities, including the Kulim Municipal Council, which reduced its approval period from 22 months to 11 months, while the Kulai Municipal Council recorded similar performance improvements.

Through STAR, the government has implemented the Bureaucratic Red Tape Reform (RKB) initiative, with 160 improvement measures carried out to date, bringing direct benefits to the people and the country.

He said the Public Service Reform Agenda (ARPA) focuses on five main areas: developing quality human capital, instilling noble values, building dynamic organisations, strengthening public-private cooperation, and making service delivery more people-centric.

He stressed that while the agenda has clear targets and timelines, what matters is not the number of achievements listed but their impact on the people.

“If the reforms do not reach the target groups and the people do not feel the effects of what is being done, then they are meaningless,” he said. 

Shamsul Azri said the reform agenda has no end date, as it is a process of continuous improvement.

“We have the basic structure and guidelines to keep us on track, but what’s important in reform is having the spirit,” he said. 

He noted that one of the major improvements in public service reform was the enforcement of the Commitment Act earlier this year, which mandates the review of outdated laws and regulations that burden the public every three years.

He also reminded civil servants not to become complacent, while new officers must be moulded to see their careers not merely as a source of monthly income but as a trust and responsibility to the nation and society.

“What’s important is empowering each officer both in skill and spirit. Reform and improvement begin with an individual, then extend to a group, a unit in the administration, a division, a community, a ministry, and finally to the whole country. All of this starts with an individual whose spirit is strengthened with noble values,” he said.

He said various value-based programmes have been implemented through guidance and training, including the Malaysia MADANI programme and the National Institute of Public Administration (INTAN), to ensure officers have a strong spirit to provide the best service to the people and the country.

The JPA, he added, constantly reviews and evaluates every organisation to identify areas for improvement, particularly in promotions and career development, though the main challenge remains financial constraints.

He explained that when the government announced a salary review under the Public Service Remuneration System (SSPA), the financial implication to the government amounted to RM18 billion.

Nevertheless, he said review and improvement processes continued from time to time through meetings with Prime Minister Datuk Seri Anwar Ibrahim, including examining organisational restructuring measures and devising suitable action plans.

“We are constantly looking at ways to increase promotion opportunities over time, reviewing positions that have become stagnant — where promotion prospects are too limited — and working to improve the situation,” he said.

-- BERNAMA