KUALA LUMPUR, Dec 15 (Bernama) -- A lot of thought went into the
formulation of the New Remuneration Scheme for Civil Servants (SBPA),
which includes taking into consideration the views of various quarters
including the civil servants.
Public Service Director-General Tan Sri Abu Bakar Abdullah said among the platforms for consulation were public service association representatives, Departmental Joint Councils (MBJ) and National Joint Councils (MBK).
"We also took into account the experience and problems of civil servants at the agency level, which includes maximum salary, promotions and grade...we studied all these.
"The Prime Minister (Datuk Seri Najib Tun Razak) announced this when tabling the 2012 Budget in October. It is now December, so the new option papers will be distributed after careful assessment," he said during the dialogue programme broadcast on RTM1 Wednesday night.
Abu Bakar, who was a guest on the live show, said this when asked to respond to a question posed on Facebook from Ibrahim Busu who felt that the scheme was introduced hastily without having adequate consultation.
He said the SBPA was introduced as the first move under the Main Retirement Plan aimed at improving the public sector.
On worries over poor appraisal under the SBPA, Abu Bakar said the government had assured civil servants that no one would be victimised and those whose performance fell below 69 per cent would be re-evaluated by a panel.
"The panel will examine whether the below 69 per cent score in 2012 is consistent with previous years' achievement.
"If the performance is consistent, the public servant is without doubt an under performer. But if that is the first time he is under-evaluated, the panel will make a specific study and make recommendations.
"Among others, if lower marks were received the following year due to personal problems, we will provide counselling first. If the civil servant concerned is not suited to his job, we can transfer him to another position," he said.
He said if the panel found that the assessment made by the employee's superior was unfair, a new appraiser would be appointed to rate his performance again.
The performance evaluation of civil servants will only start next year after civil servants opt for the SBPA, he added.
On the notion that the SBPA will retard promotion, Abu Bakar said the lateral entry policy or direct appointment and cross-linking with government-linked companies was aimed at enticing experts to join the civil service without affecting civil servants' promotion opportunities.
"This policy is being introduced to keep pace with the government policy on returning experts as the government found that many Malaysian citizens working abroad have specific expertise.
"Their participation in the civil service is not to grab management opportunities. If an expert is needed, there is no problem for us to create a position for him without denying opportunities of those in the service," he said.
Abu Bakr also stressed that the inclusion of experts from outside the service was the last resort if no experts could be found in the civil service itself.
He did not rule out the possibility of abolishing 29,000 positions due to the restructuring of the civil service but this would not cause any civil servants to be expelled or forced to take an early retirement.
However, he said the move would not result in the dismissal or retirement of any civil servant.
"What happens is that after posts are restructured following the SBPA, we find that there are many which are obselete such as machine operator, file seeker and they haven't been filled for quite some time. It's time to do away with these posts," he said.
The new scheme will be effective on Jan 1, 2012 and civil servants will be given the option to take the scheme or otherwise.
Forms for the new scheme will be distributed starting Thursday.
Public Service Director-General Tan Sri Abu Bakar Abdullah said among the platforms for consulation were public service association representatives, Departmental Joint Councils (MBJ) and National Joint Councils (MBK).
"We also took into account the experience and problems of civil servants at the agency level, which includes maximum salary, promotions and grade...we studied all these.
"The Prime Minister (Datuk Seri Najib Tun Razak) announced this when tabling the 2012 Budget in October. It is now December, so the new option papers will be distributed after careful assessment," he said during the dialogue programme broadcast on RTM1 Wednesday night.
Abu Bakar, who was a guest on the live show, said this when asked to respond to a question posed on Facebook from Ibrahim Busu who felt that the scheme was introduced hastily without having adequate consultation.
He said the SBPA was introduced as the first move under the Main Retirement Plan aimed at improving the public sector.
On worries over poor appraisal under the SBPA, Abu Bakar said the government had assured civil servants that no one would be victimised and those whose performance fell below 69 per cent would be re-evaluated by a panel.
"The panel will examine whether the below 69 per cent score in 2012 is consistent with previous years' achievement.
"If the performance is consistent, the public servant is without doubt an under performer. But if that is the first time he is under-evaluated, the panel will make a specific study and make recommendations.
"Among others, if lower marks were received the following year due to personal problems, we will provide counselling first. If the civil servant concerned is not suited to his job, we can transfer him to another position," he said.
He said if the panel found that the assessment made by the employee's superior was unfair, a new appraiser would be appointed to rate his performance again.
The performance evaluation of civil servants will only start next year after civil servants opt for the SBPA, he added.
On the notion that the SBPA will retard promotion, Abu Bakar said the lateral entry policy or direct appointment and cross-linking with government-linked companies was aimed at enticing experts to join the civil service without affecting civil servants' promotion opportunities.
"This policy is being introduced to keep pace with the government policy on returning experts as the government found that many Malaysian citizens working abroad have specific expertise.
"Their participation in the civil service is not to grab management opportunities. If an expert is needed, there is no problem for us to create a position for him without denying opportunities of those in the service," he said.
Abu Bakr also stressed that the inclusion of experts from outside the service was the last resort if no experts could be found in the civil service itself.
He did not rule out the possibility of abolishing 29,000 positions due to the restructuring of the civil service but this would not cause any civil servants to be expelled or forced to take an early retirement.
However, he said the move would not result in the dismissal or retirement of any civil servant.
"What happens is that after posts are restructured following the SBPA, we find that there are many which are obselete such as machine operator, file seeker and they haven't been filled for quite some time. It's time to do away with these posts," he said.
The new scheme will be effective on Jan 1, 2012 and civil servants will be given the option to take the scheme or otherwise.
Forms for the new scheme will be distributed starting Thursday.
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