I refer to the Malaysiakini report Why the disinterest in civil service? This study is certainly useful for the PSC to tackle the root of the problem. However, for Lamien to suggest that ‘non-Malay applications to join the civil service had shown signs of an increase’ with his incomplete statistical report is misleading.

If we scrutinise the figures in terms of percentage, Chinese applications stand at 1.7% both this year and last year, Indians – 2.4% last year and 2.7% this year, Sabahans – 6.5% last year and 6.2% this year.

To sum up these applications in percentages – 10.6% last year and this year. These figures summarise that there was no increase in non-Malay applications and if there were any, ie, among Indians, they are insignificant.

Percentage would reflect more accurately the quantum of applications among the different groups of Malaysians because there are various factors (number of government scholars increased, for example) that would cause an effect of an individual and overall increase in number of applications.

This as opposed to ‘interest to serve in the public service’ alone (subject of interest of the above report hence it is inferred that this data is meant to correlate interest with number of applications, although there is no proof to substantiate it).

I would also suggest that the study covers a wider range of factors such as selection procedure, candidate’s background environment, expectations in the working world, etcetera.

‘Psychological perception’ alone is insufficient to find the root of the problem and even if psychological perception of Malaysians do not favour the government, what are the actions that will be taken?