I refer to the Malaysiakini report NKRA expo: Pakatan MPs impressed but sceptical .

The government has got the objectives right this time. Unlike all previous announcements that start with a big hoo-ha but end with a whimper with no actions or improvement at the end of the tunnel.

The government would be better off conferring with the New Zealand government on its highly successful ECA or Employment Contracts Act 1991. After all, the Malaysian government has copied many restructuring programmes from New Zealand over the past 10 to 15 years.

The public services in NZ were slightly better than the public services in Malaysia today. Yet, Public services were even made the butt of a joke in the weekly national TV programme ‘Gliding On’. Just slightly more hilarious than the British TV series ‘Yes, Minister’.

When the Labour Government came to power, they introduced the ECA or Employment Contracts Act 1991 (check it out on Google for details). It, in short, turned all public service officers into managers.

The director-general became the CEO etc along the same line as managers in the private sector. They were to receive perks and attractive packages (including free company vehicles, subsidised medical insurance, club memberships etc.). But they were to be appointed under a three-year contract.

The CEO performance’s depends on those of the senior staff directly under him and the link goes downwards. Non-performing executives and managers will find themselves out in the cold at the end of their three-year contract period.

Those who are underperforming will be given the opportunity to attend courses, counselling etc, to help improve themselves. If they continue to underperform, well, either they shift out or they will be shifted out at the end of their contract. There are some mechanisms which you need to read in the ECA in greater detail.

Because your performance depends on the performance of staff under you, if they don’t perform, its better you get rid of them before they pull you down with them.

Applying the ECA in Malaysia will definitely help get rid of a lot of the lazy public servants with a ‘tidak apa’ attitude. I think the prime minister and minister responsible for National Key Results Area (NKRA) initiatives should talk to the NZ High Commission to find out more about the ECA.

Here is a system introduced in 1991 which has changed the once ‘sleepy, inefficient NZ public service’ into one which is just if not more efficient than the public service of Singapore’. Malaysia should learn the best from anyone, and shouldn’t be too xenophobic about it.

Today, its hard to sack insolent and non-performing public servants. They end up as deadwood waiting for their pensions, costing the taxpayers millions of ringgit to retain them.

Will the KRA work? Well, I cannot help being cynical after seeing so much of ‘all talk and no action’ in the past.