DEC 19 — The Public Service Department (PSD) wants to implement the Public Service New Remuneration Scheme (SBPA) in 2012 to improve service quality of the 1.4 million civil servants. However, the Congress of Unions of Employees in the Public and Civil Services (Cuepacs) does not accept it, mainly due to the concerns over the Exit Policy and the performance-based pay rise scheme.

Under the Exit Policy, a special panel will review the performance of wanting civil servants for six months and those who fail to improve will be asked to leave. Meanwhile, under the performance-based pay rise scheme, increment will be made based on assessment results. Those who meet the requirement will receive a five per cent increment, those who exceed the requirement will receive an eight per cent increment and those who perform significantly exceed the requirement will receive a15 per cent increment. As for those who fail to meet the requirement, there will be no increment for them.

Such a scheme can eliminate civil servants who are lazy and have no discipline so as to enhance the efficiency of the public domain and enable the implementation of the Government Transformation Plan (GTP).

However, reform has never been easy. Cuepacs accepts the 7-13 per cent pay increment but not the performance-based pay rise scheme.

In fact, the BN government has been aware of the public resentment triggered by poor performance of civil servants years ago. For example, the administration of Tun Abdullah Ahmad Badawi had always mentioned about public delivery system improvement. However, reform has not been in place due to political considerations.

After Datuk Seri Najib Razak took over the office, he introduced the 1 Malaysia concept, New Economic Model (NEM), the GTP and Economic Transformation Programme (ETP). However, the results are not satisfactory over the past two years and the lack of executive ability in the public domain is among the reasons.

Even if the policy is good, such as the liberalisation of 27 service sub-sectors, the favourable factors of the good policy have been diluted due to implementation deviation.

It is exciting for the government to give out RM500 aid under the Budget 2012. However, the mood was spoiled by the temporary teacher’s contract issue. The people are confused and officials are inconsistent in their responses as to whether photocopied application forms can be used.

Why did the officials in charge approve the purchase of a RM9.8 million condominium with National Feedlot Centre (NFC) funds? Why no action was taken?

Shouldn’t the Malaysian Anti-Corruption Commission (MACC) take appropriate action when the government was revealed to have purchased equipment with high prices and over a trillion ringgit of black money was reported to have flowed out?

Poultry farmers also claimed a conspiracy when 57 poultry farms in Johor were ordered to close down. What should the farmers do if their farms are closed? The country might also have to suffer losses in foreign exchange due to poultry imports.

All kinds of flaws will tarnish the BN’s image even if it is not attacked by the Pakatan Rakyat. Low quality and inefficient civil servants could actually affect the people’s confidence and support.

Therefore, to win the general election the BN must first improve the efficiency of civil servants. The key is to change their perception that working for the government is a secured job, while implementing a performance-based system.

For the country’s future, Cuepacs should put aside personal interests or national reforms will be halted. — mysinchew.com

* This is the personal opinion of the writer or publication. The Malaysian Insider does not endorse the view unless specified.