Citing example of Saudi firm, Anwar urges higher govt efficiency

Prime Minister Anwar Ibrahim has urged workers in the government sector to work efficiently, as it is the factor in driving the country’s economic growth.

Speaking at his meeting with Prime Minister’s Department staff in Putrajaya, Anwar cited the exemplary work ethic displayed by Saudi Arabian staff and told the government workers to follow.

Anwar recounted his meeting with representatives from Saudi energy company Acwa Power during a recent visit to Penang.

He said discussions commenced at 9.30am, during which the company expressed the need for approval from their prime minister.

Remarkably, by 8pm on the same day, they had secured all necessary approvals, impressing Anwar with their swift action.

“Previously, Saudi was known as among the slowest (in terms of efficiency),” he added.

Stable politics, clear policies

He hoped this sort of example would serve as a call to action for government workers, urging them to prioritise efficiency in their daily tasks.

Anwar, who attended the World Economic Forum special meeting last week, lauded the efficiency of the Saudi government, attributing it to the confidence in Malaysia’s administration.

“The Saudis’ confidence in Malaysia reflects our stable politics, clear economic policies, and the efficiency demonstrated by our staff,” he remarked.

Reflecting on his recent visit to Riyadh, Anwar noted a surge in interest from foreign investors in Malaysia, reminiscent of his earlier trip to Germany in March and the recent RM10.5 billion investment from Microsoft.

“I will be having an online meeting with Google shortly,” he revealed.

Separately, Anwar commended the government’s bold decision to increase the salary for civil servants as radical and brave.

He acknowledged the conventional economic theory that advises against salary hikes in times of instability and debt but emphasised the Madani government’s focus on humanity.

He empathised with civil servants and their burden, affirming the government’s commitment to alleviating their financial strain.

“As the ‘father’ in the big ‘family’, we shall not burden the workers. That is why we decided to give them something that can ease the burden instead of something passable,” he added.

On Labour Day, Anwar announced a salary increase of over 13 percent for civil servants, scheduled to take effect in December.

Anwar is optimistic Parliament will approve the raise.

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