KUCHING: Civil servants in Sarawak must know the history of Malaysia, the federal constitution and the state constitution, said Sarawak State Secretary Datuk Jaul Samion.
In an exclusive interview with Sarawak Public Communication Unit (Ukas) in conjunction with the Malaysian Day celebration, he said civil servants would be able to carry out their duties well if they were well versed in the federal constitution and the state constitution.
“The federal constitution states the jurisdiction of the federal government while the state constitution, the jurisdiction of the state. Civil servants need to know this. That is the basic,” pointed out Jaul.
He stressed that it was important for all services under the federal and state jurisdictions to be harmonised and implemented smoothly for the benefit of the people.
It was also important for civil servants to ensure that their authority did not overlap, or that they did not deviate from their actual duties.
Asked about civil servants’ contribution to a world-class government service, Jaul said, “The plan to transform the civil service into a world class was formulated 10 years ago. It has been a success.
“Known as the Sarawak Civil Service Strategic Action Plan or the Sarawak Civil Service SCS 2010-2020, this structured plan has succeeded in generating creative civil servants to create new innovations and gain recognition locally and abroad.”
He said the plan was still in progress and various innovations had been implemented. The innovations had gained recognition at various levels.
“We won the Commonwealth Association for Public Administration and Management (CAPAM) 2016, an international award in the innovation category with India through a project called “Create and Innovate, Make a Difference — Story of our Journey”.
He pointed out that the service delivery of the state government, which prioritised quality and innovations, had resulted in better working processes and procedures.
Jaul also touched on the important role civil servants played in ensuring that government policies were implemented in the best interests of the people.
“When the government drafts a policy or introduces a policy, it is our responsibility to implement and ensure that it is carried out,” he explained.
“Civil servants are also the backbone of a state’s success and are important in ensuring that the people can enjoy the results of development based on the policies and functions introduced.”
