The government should drop its move to appoint "outside experts" to top civil service posts as this is likely to anger civil servants, says PAS.

NONE "Those in the civil service, especially high-ranking ones, will not keep quiet. This is about their future,” PAS vice-president Mahfuz Omar told a press conference in Kuala Lumpur today.

“If the government does not back down, it may face an uprising from civil servants."

While acknowledging that the civil service needs to be innovative, Mahfuz said the government should focus on improving mechanisms to appoint talented civil servants to these posts.

"We should improve the appointment process and avoid using political connections, because it will undermine the public administration," said the Pokok Sena MP.

Mahfuz said that the move reflected a lack of faith in the civil servants' competence. It could also demotivate civil servants and render the Public Service Training Institute (Intan) redundant.

"It is an admission that Intan had failed, so why keep it? (The government) might as well close it." he quipped.

In addition, Mahfuz suggested that the move could also be used as a political tool, where political leaders sidelined from mainstream BN politics could be put to head a ministry to pacify and prevent him or her from sabotaging the party.

"Perhaps Shahrizat (Abdul Jalil) could be considered for one of these positions," he jibed at the Wanita Umno chief who is under attack from within and outside her party over the National Feedlot Corporation scandal.

Utusan Malaysia Online

had reported last week that top posts ranked Jusa and Turus (equivalent to a private company's chief executive officer) may be filled by ‘outside experts’, including those from the private sector.

The posts include that of the chief secretary to the government and secretaries-general of various ministries.