The Deputy Minister in the Prime Minister's Department M Kayveas should be saluted for opening up the issue of the lethargy, inefficiency and corruption in the government machinery. We should not assume that this is a job for the opposition leaders only.

It is because of this mentality of the governing leaders that our civil service has become so incorrigible. In the last 20 years, it has only worsened.

I have been to government offices where the public are served at the counters. There are 10 counters to serve, but only two officers serving. These people have no qualms or conscience for being away from duty at tea for so long.

There was a senior citizen who was brave enough to ask the officers: "If you can tell me when these officers will return from their tea, I will come back again. I have already waited for more than half-an-hour." Answer the officer: "They will be back soon."

These people have no feelings whatsoever. These officers do not know how difficult it is for private sector employees to get leave to go to government agencies for their ICs, passports, school reports for children etc.

We are disgusted at how these government servants perform. It frustrates us. All government leaders must wake up and correct this attitude and bad habits so prevalent in the government system.

One Kayveas alone cannot do this. All should support him. After all, government servants are well taken care of. They are even paid a bonus as if the government is a profit-making body.

We don't grudge all this. But serve the rakyat caringly and lovingly whether they come from the kampungs, estates or villages. Don't keep them waiting for they, unlike government servants, have to earn their daily income to feed their families.

We Malaysians are good in forming institutions for integrity, transparency, public complaints etc but nothing changes the system.