PM to civil servants: It's your duty to obey policies of ruling gov't
Prime Minister Dr Mahathir Mohamad today reminded civil servants that they should not be bound to the ruling party, even if they have a duty to carry out its policies.
"Now that we have a new government (for the first time in 61 years), sometimes it is hard for us to shift our loyalty from the previous government to the new government, but because we accepted the democratic system... sometimes, we change the government through elections...
Prime Minister Dr Mahathir Mohamad today reminded civil servants that they should not be bound to the ruling party, even if they have a duty to carry out its policies.
"Now that we have a new government (for the first time in 61 years), sometimes it is hard for us to shift our loyalty from the previous government to the new government, but because we accepted the democratic system... sometimes, we change the government through elections.
"So, we need to remember that the civil service should be free from being tied down to the ruling party, but at the same time… because they work under the ruling party, it is their duty to obey the policies and actions of the ruling party.
"If civil servants can separate themselves from too strong a tie to the ruling party, yet can still carry out their duties as impartial civil servants, I am confident the country’s administration will continue smoothly," he said.
Mahathir was speaking to civil servants in Malacca at the Seri Negeri state secretariat building after attending a meeting with Malacca Chief Minister Adly Zahari (photo) and state excos.
The prime minister also said Malaysians should be grateful that the change of government in Malaysia was done peacefully, as he pointed out that such changes in other countries are usually followed by instability, riots and even war.
“Alhamdullilah, this did not happen in Malaysia and this is a huge success for us.
“However, when we changed our ruling party, civil servants should continue their work free from party politics.
“If we can do this, then we can carry out our duties well, not just to bring success to the new ruling party, but to bring success to our country,” he said.
Mahathir has constantly reminded civil servants to stay neutral and loyal to the government of the day since Pakatan Harapan assumed federal power after the 14th general election.
He also previously claimed that there were some in the civil service who were out to sabotage the new government as they remained loyal to the previous BN administration.
Mahathir has a full day of programmes planned in Malacca today, starting with the meeting with the chief minister at 10am, and ending with the launch of the Rumah Peduli Rakyat in Jasin.
Is that really so? Is the old fart actually saying that civil servants ( and by default, the whole country) have no rights to question the rulings of what, after all is an incompetent and dysfunctional....and divisive government. Methinks that in his senility the old man’s Islamist repressiveness is blinding his common sense It’s every Malaysians right, nay their responsibility, to question every decision that the Harapan government aka Mahathir makes