MALAYSIA
Malaysia’s new Prime Minister, Dr Mahathir Mohamad (pictured) has publicly questioned the loyalty of Public Servants who campaigned for the ousted Barisan Nasional coalition in the country’s recent General Election.
He said their allegiances could affect the new administration’s governance.
“We found many among the Government officials, whether voluntarily or not, who had taken part in the elections to campaign for Barisan Nasional, and we have doubts about where their loyalties lie,” Dr Mahathir said.
“Their loyalty to the previous administration would pose a problem to the current Government, which has its own approach to governance and obligations to fulfil its manifesto.”
The Prime Minister said although the PS employees in question had the right to support any political party, their job was to implement policy decisions of the Government of the day.
He did not say whether they would be removed from their posts.
“We do not want to punish people unnecessarily because that is not our way of doing things, but we need to know the loyalties of these Civil Servants because, unfortunately, they have committed themselves towards propagating the propaganda of the previous Government,” Dr Mahathir said.
“We hope that they will change their attitudes and become neutral again.”
He said they would have to carry out the policies and the instructions of the new Government.
Barisan Nasional politicians have criticised the new Government’s plan to swiftly remove so-called political appointees, given the current timing, which coincides with Ramadan and Eid festive season, but Dr Mahathir maintained that the group served no purpose for the current administration.
“They [political appointees] will receive their remuneration in time for Hari Raya [Eid], but they came from the opposing party and so we must take action,” Dr Mahathir said.
“Their designations are not needed as they were created merely to work for party officials.”
The Prime Minister said the entertainment allowance for senior PS staff would be cut by 10 per cent, effective on 1 July.
“This is part of the Government’s austerity drive,” Dr Mahathir said.
He also announced that a team would be sent to India to study that country’s innovation program aimed at improving efficiency in the public sector.
Kuala Lumpur, 7 June 2018
