Cuepacs: Hiring, promotions in civil service based on merit, competency

Hiring and promotions in the civil service by the Public Service Commission are done based on a candidate's merit and competency rather than any pre-determined quotas, said the Congress of Unions of Employees in the Public and Civil Services (Cuepacs).

Cuepacs president Adnan Mat in a statement said the commission has never set any religious, racial, ethnic or state quotas in the hiring process.

"On the contrary, most who joined the civil service are due to their individual interests," said Adnan, who responding to Penang Deputy Chief Minister II P Ramasamy's call for reforms in the "Malay-dominated" civil service.

Ramasamy has since claimed his initial remarks on "breaking the monopoly of Malays" were twisted with a racial slant, rather than an original intention of supporting calls to introduce higher salaries as encouragement for other races to join the civil service.

Adnan (above) said Cuepacs viewed Ramasamy's statement as an attempt to politicise the civil service, and that the comments were made without understanding real facts on day-to-day affairs within the government.

"What’s more he (Ramasamy) is a leader of a political party that forms the current government. The statement on race-based policies in the hiring and promotion of civil servants is a heavy and baseless allegation.

"All these while, the civil service has never placed race as a determining factor in hiring or promoting a civil servant, as alleged by the elected representative (Ramasamy).

"Applications are open to all races and religions. Without submitting an application, how can an individual join the civil service or be seen as interested in serving the country and people?" he asked.

As an elected representative, Adnan said Ramasamy should also play a role to raise awareness among all races on opportunities within the civil service.

"Right now, the response from non-bumiputera to join the public service is seen as low because they view the salary as lower than in the private sector, or if they were to open their own business," said Adnan.

On Tuesday, Abang Johari reportedly expressed hope that a proposed upgraded salary scheme will attract more Sarawakians, including from the Chinese community, to join the state’s civil service.

He also reportedly admitted that civil servants’ salaries were currently too low and indicated plans by the Sarawak state government to upgrade the scheme.

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