Malaysia’s Chief Secretary to the Government, Mohd Zuki Ali says new figures show that young people are still being attracted to a career in the country’s Public Service.
He said the Public Service Commission data revealed that 95,000 first and second Upper Class Degree holders applied for positions in the Administrative and Diplomatic services last year with only 400 being accepted.
More than 435,000 applied for 1,500 clerical jobs.
“Until June this year, the PSC received 1,145,035 applications of which 95 per cent were from those aged between 18 and 35,” Datuk Seri Mohd Zuki said.
Job-seekers can register applications at any time throughout the year without waiting for jobs to be advertised; the application will be valid for a one-year period.
Datuk Seri Mohd Zuki said among the factors that attracted the younger generation to join the Public Service were job security, competitive salaries, allowances and benefits such as medical, covering not only the Public Servant but family members, including parents.
Pensions, housing and car loans, and scholarships for further study were other telling factors.
“It is not easy to secure a job in the Civil Service, as the number of vacancies is limited and only a small number of applicants are accepted,” Datuk Seri Mohd Zuki said.
“Over the years, the Civil Service has borne the brunt of criticisms from every level of society and there have been calls, even among politicians, to trim its size, but the current number of 1.6 million is ideal,” he said.
Datuk Seri Mohd Zuki said the critics of a bloated bureaucracy often forgot the 1.6 million figure included Federal and State Public Servants and those working for statutory bodies and Local Authorities as well as the education, security and health sectors.
Kuala Lumpur, 11 August 2020
