Transparency International Malaysia (TI) has urged the government to ensure that transparent and equitable processes are put in place throughout all levels of applications to encourage non-Malays to join the civil service.

"It is only when the applications go through a transparent process at all levels can the reasons for the poor response from non-Malays to join the civil service be determined," its newly-elected Ramon Navaratnam said in a statement.

The government, he added, should also make transparent its processes in offering promotions and any perceived bias on racial parameters for promotions should be removed.

"Non-Malays often see themselves as a minority in the civil service and therefore do not feel that they are given equal recognition to advance in the civil service," he said, adding that the working environment in the civil service should be conducive for a Malaysian workforce.

"The environment should reflect the multi-religious and multi-cultural Malaysia," he said, citing the IGP's recent directive that all policewomen should wear tudung for the sake of uniformity regardless of race and religion.

"This act will seriously discourage the non-Malays from even thinking of serving the nation in the police force," he said.

Political will

He asserted that a multiracial government service will definitely increase the image quality and efficiency of the public service.

"It will also promote greater national unity and acceptability of the civil service as reflecting the national aspirations of the country and its people," he said.

Ramon said if there is a real political will and a genuine effort made to make non-Malays welcomed as equal and as fellow Malaysians at all level, it will not be difficult to increase the intake and promotion of non-Malays in the public services.

Replying to a question in Parliament on Thursday, Minister in the Prime Minister's Department Mohd Nazri Abdul Aziz revealed that out of the total of 899,250 civil servants in the country as of last year, Malays comprised 77.04 percent followed by the Chinese (9.37 percent) and Indians at 5.12 percent.

Bumiputeras who were not Malays made up 7.77 percent while other races comprised the balance of 0.70 percent.

Nazri had said that the government received a total of 409,711 applications last year to join the civil service of which 81.45 percent were from Malays, 1.61 percent from Chinese, 2.4 percent from Indians and 14.54 percent from other races.

Ramon said the government must embark on a survey to determine why only 18.55 percent of the 409,711 applications in the civil service were from non-Malays in 2005.

"The public will not be convinced that there are not many applications given that there are thousands of non-Malays without a job," he added.