YOURSAY | ‘To downsize, it’s either the government sells off state entities or cut staff.’

Cut down civil service before it's too late, says former Treasury sec-gen

Clever Voter: Our large bureaucracy is a result of overlapping structures of state agencies at every level of government.

BN has delivered what it promised - full employment - but it comes with a heavy price. For every one ringgit of tax revenue, 90 percent easily goes to support wages, salaries, benefits, pensions, etc.

For as long as we have petroleum revenue, every PM past and present believes this is the right thing to do as a benevolent state.

Aside from assuring political loyalty, the extras will help out in party activities. For BN, there is no difference between party and government activities.

To downsize, it’s either the government sells off state entities or cut staff, both are double-edged swords.

It would be politically unwise to slash staff as no one will give up on job security. New wealth has to be created to support the civil service. Borrow if they have to. After all, this is their fixed deposit.

The Final Count Down: Former Treasury secretary-general Mohd Sheriff Mohd Kassim, it is almost impossible to cut down the number of those in the civil service as it is Umno’s fixed deposit.

It would be much easier to cut down on kleptocracy by voting for the opposition. There must be enough repented retired civil servants to tilt the scale.

Mosquitobrain: A popularity-seeking government prefers a bloated civil service rather than facing high unemployment rates and student protests.

The government’s quest to create an educational hub has allowed many higher learning institutions to mushroom in the country.

Not many educationists are willing to come here due to low pay, the medium of instruction and inconsistent education policies. The problem was further compounded by political interference. Thus, many government institutions of higher learnings are forced to engage local and underqualified lecturers.

Upon graduation, those better-off graduates will apply for further studies, leaving behind graduates with below average results to look for jobs.

Most of the bumiputera graduates will find their way into the civil service sectors. The private sectors are not able to absorb the majority of them due to demands for a high starting salary, the language barrier, poor qualifications and communication skills, and lack of experience.

P Dev Anand Pillai: The current administration is only interested in the votes, it doesn't care how the votes come in.

So Mohd Sheriff, do you seriously think that this administration is bothered about the size of its workforce?

FairMind: Cutting down the civil service salaries and expenses should be the first priority in reducing country’s expenditure.

Instead, the government is resorting to cutting scholarships for students, reducing medical supplies for the sick and increasing fees, prices and taxes for hospitals, traffic offenders, petrol and basic foodstuffs.

Maintaining a bloated civil service at the expense of the public doesn't make sense at all except for the kleptocrats in the civil service and in politics, who use these civil service positions as a means to bleed the country dry through alleged rampant corruption and leakages.

The larger the civil service, the more the corruption and the leakages.

Annonymous: This hideous monster was created by a certain ‘MM’ and continued up to now. But reducing this civil service would not stop the impending destruction of this country.

The critical factors that can save this country are foremost - get rid of the corrupt, racist and religious bigots in power, impose meritocracy and eliminate racism, cronyism and corruption.

Appoint the best brains in every institution and government-linked company (GLC) and only the best brains to serve as vice-chancellors in the varsities and heads of schools to ensure quality education, reduce the brain drain, and to stop the millions of illegal migrants, labourers and low-skilled immigrants freely invading the country.

And most essentially to elect an intellectual Malay or a ‘Lee Kuan Yew’ as PM to save this country. Asking for too much, right?

But there is no other remedy to save this sick country except to impose all of the above to ensure progress and success of this once great nation.

Dont Just Talk: Leadership by example is to start reducing the number of ministers - eight of them - in the PM's Office, which is not only bloated but is a joke, with so many ministers without any portfolio. Secondly, reduce alleged corruption and abuse of power by the ruling government.

If we can instil confidence in the country, the value of our ringgit will appreciate against the US dollar and Singapore dollar. Otherwise, it is Nato - no action, talk only.

Single Malt: Civil servants are Umno‘s vote bank. Also, when you reduce the civil service what are these people going to do? The crime rate may perhaps increase.

Stopping foreign manpower may be a solution. However, this will affect the ‘side income’ of several ministers and their cronies, and not to forget the officers who seemingly depend on regular ‘donations’ from foreign workers.

ABC123: The hard truth is this - our civil service is a taxpayer-funded programme to increase the employment rate, economic standing, and standard of living for a certain race. This is the pathetic truth which is too politically incorrect to admit.

Responsible Malaysian: Since the day they created this giant monster, they know that they will be swallowed by it one day as the giant monster will eat up all the revenues generated.

And if they stop feeding it, the giant monster will swallow the creator without a second thought.

Just a Malaysian: Malaysia has to go down like Greece before we would be forced to take radical action. There is too much of the ‘ketuanan’ issue at stake with regard to the civil service. No political party will even suggest it.

We will probably be needing another National Operations Council (NOC) after the bankruptcy, if it happens, to remedy this monster.

I am very sure Malaysians of all races need to go through a heart-wrenching economic crisis before we wake up to the folly of our present thinking.

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