KUCHING: In the pursuit of transforming the Sarawak civil service into a world-class institution, State Secretary Datuk Amar Mohamad Abu Bakar Marzuki champions the 3R principle: ‘Revisit’, ‘Rethink’, and ‘Recharge’, calling upon all civil servants to unite as one team.
Alongside this strategic vision, Sarawak has embarked on a path of modernisation within its civil service through the introduction of the ‘Jawatan Berasaskan Caruman’ (JBC) or contribution-based position scheme.
Under this initiative, all new recruits will contribute to the Employees Provident Fund (EPF) retirement scheme, marking a significant shift from the traditional pension scheme.
During an exclusive interview with New Sarawak Tribune and Suara Sarawak at Wisma Bapa here recently, Abu Bakar elaborated on the 3R principle’s significance and highlighted the attractiveness of the JBC approach, particularly among younger and professional individuals.
New Sarawak Tribune: Sarawak’s vision is to provide a world-class civil service to its people. What does ‘world-class’ mean in this context?
Abu Bakar: It was actually designed over 10 years ago, during a time when Sarawak aimed to improve the civil service, by looking at what was happening globally, especially and how the developed countries enhanced their civil services. Now, after a decade, it is essential to review what ‘world-class’ standards mean.
I am inclined to believe that ‘world-class’ means being relevant, regardless of when one joins the civil service, whether in the 80s, 90s, or later. We must be able to continue to deliver excellent service and contribute to Sarawak’s development.
Civil servants must continuously change and improve by acquiring new knowledge, applying it to enhance services, and adapting to current developments. They must be open to new ideas and ready to embrace change.
This is why I focus on the 3R principle: ‘Revisit’, ‘Rethink’, and ‘Recharge’ and work as ‘One Team’.
New Sarawak Tribune: Can you elaborate the 3R principle: ‘Revisit’, ‘Rethink’, and ‘Recharge’?
Abu Bakar: Revisit means constantly reviewing existing procedures and processes within the civil service to improve efficiency and relevance in today’s dynamic environment.
If newer technology allows for simplification of processes, civil servants must adapt and enhance their skills to stay relevant in the modern digital era.
For example, if a task can now be completed in five steps instead of ten, there’s no need to stick to outdated methods introduced decades ago.
It’s crucial to rethink how we work and ensure our approaches remain suitable and effective.
Recharge refers to upgrading skills and knowledge, being responsive to new government initiatives, policies, and announcements.
We must enhance our capabilities and capacity to stay agile and responsive to developments in Sarawak and globally.
If Premier Datuk Patinggi Tan Sri Abang Johari Tun Openg announces new ideas, civil servants should proactively seek to understand and contribute to them.
Rather than waiting for formal training, civil servants can utilise resources like Google to gain more information and insights.
Introducing a One Team’ spirit emphasises the importance of collaboration and unity across different agencies and positions within the civil service. Working together as a team is essential for effective problem-solving and coordination.
Those who refuse to change or acquire new skills and knowledge risk becoming irrelevant in the civil service.
Given the fast-paced leadership style of our Premier, civil servants must match this speed and work harmoniously as one team to achieve success.
If our Premier is already (operating) at gear 5, state civil servants cannot afford to stay at gear 3.
What concrete efforts or training initiatives are in place to ensure the civil service can achieve ‘world-class’ standards?
Abu Bakar: Currently, my office oversees two agencies, which are the Leadership Institute of Sarawak Civil Service and Sarawak Centre of Performance Excellence (SCOPE) responsible for training and developing human capital within the civil service.
They are tasked with enhancing the capabilities of civil servants, as it’s crucial for us to stay equipped and relevant in a rapidly changing world.
Knowledge or skills acquired five or ten years ago may no longer be relevant today.
Furthermore, the Sarawak government prioritises sending senior officers, especially department heads, to attend training programmes at prestigious international institutions like Harvard University, the Lee Kuan Yew School of Public Policy, Oxford Centre of Islamic Studies, among others.
Our Premier has also directed a focus on sending younger officers in their 30s and 40s for these programmes, as they are our future leaders, thus, we need to start to train and equip them with global knowledge and skills.
These training programmes expose participants to case studies, problem-solving, crisis management, and networking with leaders from around the world.
Typically lasting two to three months, participants return with increased maturity and confidence, ready to contribute effectively to the civil service.
New Sarawak Tribune: Are you satisfied with the current overall performance of the state civil service?
Abu Bakar: Overall, I am satisfied, but there is room for improvement in terms of capacity, work methods, methodology, and project implementation.
We still receive complaints, indicating areas that need enhancement. However, continuous efforts for improvement are ongoing.
I am particularly pleased with their hard work, considering that some have to relocate from their families to serve the state. This is why the Premier is emphasising their well-being. For instance, when visiting rural areas, we often see dilapidated government quarters.
To address this, the Sarawak government has allocated a significant sum this year to build conducive accommodation for civil servants.
We are also examining ways to restructure our civil service, including improving their salaries to align with the current market rates.
These aspects are currently under review to ensure our civil servants receive better conditions.
New Sarawak Tribune: Ensuring integrity in the civil service is crucial, and good governance is essential. So, how can we achieve this?
Abu Bakar: Sarawak has set up the Integrity and Ombudsman Unit, a significant initiative by the state government, which operates independently to monitor any misconduct or complaints within the government services.
Additionally, each agency has two vital units: internal audit and integrity, which are tasked with promptly reporting any wrongdoing to the State Secretary’s office. These units serve as monitors to detect and minimise instances of corruption and misconduct among civil servants.
While we cannot eradicate misconduct among civil servants entirely, we are committed to minimising them.
New Sarawak Tribune: Last year, were there any disciplinary actions taken against civil servants?
Abu Bakar: Yes, there were. However, disciplinary actions are determined on a case-by-case basis, depending on the severity of the offence.
Among the misconducts included absenteeism, drug abuse and mishandling of finances or funds.
At our level, we ensure proper procedures are followed. Actions taken range from termination of employment to salary deductions or issuing warning letters, depending on the seriousness of the case.
For criminal offences such as corruption, we refer them to relevant enforcement authorities such as the police or Malaysian Anti-Corruption Commission (MACC).
New Sarawak Tribune: There has long been a perception or accusation of unfair treatment towards certain ethnic groups in the civil service. What is your response to this?
Abu Bakar: When we recruit people, the first consideration is their academic qualifications. After that, we conduct interviews and so on. Based on my experience, I don’t see any indication that we try to neglect certain groups of people. I don’t agree with that (perception).
In fact, if we look at the current positions of department heads, they comprise various races and ethnic groups. Even my deputies include one Malay, one Chinese, and one Bidayuh, and important positions like that of Permanent Secretary are quite balanced.
We are very fair and open. In terms of racial breakdown in the Sarawak civil service, it is indeed balanced. I don’t agree that this department is only for a specific race; that’s no longer the case.
We give opportunities to everyone as long as they meet the criteria or requirements.
Personally, I see that there are less Orang Ulu in the civil service. So, I discuss and liaise with their associations to identify individuals who are suitable to become civil servants.
For example, with the Penan community, we ask the community leader to provide names for us to help recruit them because we want to be inclusive. They can contribute if something relates to the Penan, and what kinds of policies and developments can benefit their community.
The most important thing is that they are interested and they apply. If they don’t apply, it’s difficult.
As much as we want them to be part of us, some of them have expressed interest in other fields, such as becoming teachers, which falls under the federal government.
New Sarawak Tribune: When will the JBC (Jawantan Berasaskan Caruman) or contribution-based-position scheme be fully implemented in Sarawak?
Abu Bakar: Starting this year, all new recruitment for the Sarawak civil service will now be under the JBC scheme, contributing to retirement schemes like Employees Provident Fund (EPF).
They will enjoy permanent positions as well as perks and benefits, same with those under the traditional pension scheme, such as medical and housing benefits.
JBC provides greater flexibility for civil servants who wish to pursue their career elsewhere and also encourages more young and professional individuals to serve in the Sarawak government.
If we look at the pension scheme under the Public Service Department (JPA), civil servants would not receive anything if they want to leave the civil service before their retirement age.
Sometimes this (scheme) puts them in a difficult situation, especially when they have better offers from the corporate sector. They need to sacrifice their pension scheme if they wish to move to the corporate sector for better career progression.
Therefore, the Premier has instructed all new recruits to be employed under JBC, which will attract more young talents as they are free to go (leave the civil service) anytime.
It is the same if one day, they wish to return to serve the state or those from the private sector who wish to join us, we can absorb them back through JBC.
This is currently one of the focuses in the civil service to stay relevant in the ever changing world, especially with the new generations nowadays, where they like to shift careers, and experience working in different companies, industries or environments.
We need to admit that this is the trend now, where young people would not want to stay or work in the same place for years until they retire. We need to do things that fit the current situation instead of what was implemented decades ago.
I believe the JBC scheme will attract a lot of young talents from various races and backgrounds to join the state civil service.
New Sarawak Tribune: Are there any new requirements for new recruits or advice for new and existing civil servants?
When recruiting civil servants, it’s important to consider not only their academic qualifications but also their knowledge of the new economy and related development aspects.
This approach ensures that candidates are well-equipped to contribute effectively to the evolving landscape of economic progress and innovation.
New civil servants need to be socially intelligent, not only in their office roles but also in engaging with the community, understanding the people’s needs, and honing their negotiation skills.
While academic qualifications are crucial, social skills are equally important.
Additionally, heads of departments must take charge and shoulder responsibility without passing the buck to others, such as section heads. They must take ownership of everything happening within their departments.
This includes actively engaging in fieldwork, such as visiting project sites, identifying issues, and providing suggestions and solutions.
Being proactive and responsible is key to effective leadership and governance within the civil service.
