Saving costs: Govt agencies to share offices overseas, says PM

Four government bodies tasked to attract investment and tourism will be sharing offices overseas from next year, in a move Prime Minister Anwar Ibrahim said will help save costs.

They are the Tourism, Arts, and Culture Ministry (Motac), the Investment, Trade, and Industry Ministry (Miti), the Malaysia External Trade Development Corporation (Matrade), and the Malaysian Investment Development Authority (Mida).

Matrade and Mida are agencies under Miti.

“For example, we have a Tourism Board, we also have Matrade and Miti. All these have their respective offices overseas besides our respective embassies.

“Beginning Jan 1, 2025, all their offices overseas - Motac, Miti, Matrade, and Mida - will be merged under one roof to save costs.

“The economy and technology has advanced but we have continued to think and work using the old ways,” Anwar said in a speech at a civil service assembly in Putrajaya this morning.

Adding further, the prime minister told civil servants they need to consider the return on investment when operating to prevent losses of taxpayers’ money.

Anwar said the government will also optimise its human resources by transferring staff members with job scopes that are redundant or no longer relevant to another career scheme.

Among the career schemes that will be affected by this move include locomotive drivers, hostel managers, wireless operators, and make-up artists.

“This will help give them a better career pathway and wider mobility,” Anwar added.

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