KUCHING: The Associated Chinese Chambers of Commerce and Industry of Sarawak (ACCCIS) backs the proposal for an ethnic-based quota system for recruitments and appointments in the state civil service.
ACCCIS secretary-general Datuk Jonathan Chai said this could attract more young people, including the Chinese, to serve the government and ensure a better racial balance in the sector.
He also suggested a similar recruitment quota be set in place for the private sector to reflect a racial balance.
In addition, any recruitment campaign must be aggressively promoted in the schools or within the community, Chai said.
“It will take a bit of time for people on the ground to have a paradigm shift, particularly in terms of the chance of success in becoming a civil servant and the promotion prospects of a Chinese within the civil service,” he told New Sarawak Tribune today.
He was commenting on Works Minister Datuk Seri Alexander Nanta Linggi’s recent suggestion that the Sarawak government establish a quota system for recruitment based on ethnicity.
Apart from offering higher salaries, Nanta said a fairer recruitment system was needed to improve and attract more young people, including the Chinese, to join the public service.
Chai, who is also the Sarawak Business Federation (SBF) secretary-general, added that there must be intentional and conscientious efforts coupled with a strong political will to reshape and restructure the civil service.
He said it is timely for the government to review and reform the recruitment process, promotion procedures and salary scheme.
“I hope all quarters could assess and deliberate on the issue fairly, responsibly and objectively in quest of a better balanced and more inclusive civil service for Sarawak,” he said.
Chai said it would be great to have a good mix of civil servants who come from various ethnic backgrounds so that it could closely reflect the demography of Sarawak. Likewise, it should be the same in the private sector.
“This definitely will help to nurture and preserve the racial harmony in Sarawak in the long run,” he added.
