The number of applications from ethnic Chinese to join the civil service and their appointments in this sector rose by 100 percent in 2009 from the figure in 2007.

Minister in the Prime Minister's Department Koh Tsu Koon said the Public Service Commission (PSC) received 25,789 applications from the Chinese last year compared with 12,872 in 2007.

Koh said the appointments offered by PSC to the Chinese during that period also rose by almost 100 percent - 2,600 were appointed as civil servants in 2009 compared with 1,323 in 2007.

He said statistics as at June this year showed that Malaysia had 1.29 million civil servants with Malays making up 77 percent, followed by Sabah and Sarawak bumiputeras at 8.7 percent, Chinese (six percent), Indians (four percent) and others (4.3 percent).

"The government wants to increase the number of non-Malay civil servants, with several measures taken since three years ago to encourage them to join the public sector," he said after a dialogue with representatives of Hua Zong on the recruitment of the Chinese into this sector.

Intensified after 1Malaysia

Present at the dialogue were Hua Zong president Pheng Yin Huah, its vice-president Lau Chee Boon and PSC secretary Lamien Sawiyo.

Koh said measures taken by PSC included forming a special committee comprising the PSC deputy chairperson and non-Malay members of PSC to increase Chinese participation in the public sector.

"These efforts have been intensified after the prime minister introduced the 1Malaysia concept.

"The government places importance on diversity in providing services to the public.

"So, we hope all the communities can play their role in improving the quality of services and delivery," he said.

The PSC and Hua Zong will have another session at Hua Zong's office in Kuala Lumpur on Sept 4 to enable the Chinese who are keen to join the civil service to submit their job applications.

- Bernama