There is a small group of top civil servants who were trying to exert their power by delaying the implementation of the country's development projects.

This group came under the crosshairs of Prime Minister Abdullah Ahmad Badawi this morning.

"There is no need to show how powerful you are by delaying things. There are people who held back files, and there are people who held back decisions," he was quoted as saying by Bernama .

"We don't want to have 'Little Napoleon' in the civil service showing power by delaying things, for example, just to teach that person a lesson," added Abdullah who is also the finance minister.

The premier, who was speaking at the Finance Ministry monthly assembly in Putrajaya, said although the group involved was small, the government did not want the few to cause problem to many.

He said the government does not want " disebabkan nila setitik, rosak susu sebelanga ," (because of a drop of blue dye, a whole pot of milk is contaminated) .

The prime minister also reiterated his call on civil servants to assist and not to cause the failure in the implementation of all development projects, either financed by the government or the private sector.

'I need advice too'

He said all problems, complaints and views from the public on the implementation of a particular project should be given consideration.

"Don't regard a person who gives you advice as outspoken and that we have to teach the person a lesson by showing our power. We can't have people who cannot accept advice. I myself need to be advised," he added.

Abdullah said he had received advice and views from the public on the 9th Malaysia Plan (9MP).

However, he said, some of these views were baseless, alleging that the national economy was not growing.

He said all public sector employees should carry out their responsibilities and duties efficiently and speedily in implementing the 9MP development programmes.

"Just as in the 4X400m race, each athlete must run in his or her own row at the fastest speed," he said.

Abdullah said this was important as the people had high hopes towards the implementation of the 9MP development projects.

On regional development under the 9MP, the prime minister said he did not want border problems between two to three states to surface, which could stifle such efforts.

He said the federal government did not take into account whether the state was government or opposition-ruled.

Position, not person

Meanwhile, chief secretary to the government Samsudin Osman said civil servants should realise that it was not the people who had the power but their position.

Power was given for a particular post to allow the holder to carry out the responsibility which was entrusted upon him, he told reporters at another function.

"What's important is the position and not the person (holder)," he said when asked to comment on Abdullah's remarks earlier.

Samsudin said the show-of-power problem was because of the attitude of some civil servants and not due to the process of handing over of power.

"Advice will be given to those who sometimes forget this," he said.