The Penang State EXCO has approved a special financial grant of RM 400 for all 3,577 Penang state government civil servants to celebrate Hari Raya Aidilfitri that will cost RM 1.5 million. This one-off RM 400 payment will be made on 3 September 2010, approximately one week before Hari Raya Aidilfitri.
Professional Civil Service
Since the Pakatan Rakyat Government took office, strenuous efforts have been made to mould a professional civil service that is world-class. After all Penang can not transform itself into an international city unless our civil service leads the way with international benchmarks.
In the short space of two years, we have notched up some achievements. Despite discriminatory and reduced allocations from the Federal government, Penang state public service has improved. Many feels that Penang is cleaner and brighter.
The Penang state government’s CAT governance based on competency accountability and transparency has turned around a projected budget deficit of RM 35 million and RM 40 million in 2008 and 2009 to a record surplus of RM 88 million and RM 77 million respectively. CAT governance has also brought pride with praise from Transparency International, the first time for any government in Malaysia.
Penang has also established the Integrity Awards of RM 10,000 cash grant and other rewards to civil servants who expose corrupt practices or wrongdoing. The first winner was the Syariah Penang High Court judge Dato Yusof Musa who was also awarded a Datoship for exposing malpractices of more than RM 500,000 in the the Syariah court offices.
At the same time, RM 500 cash and state awards have been given to ordinary labourers who have dived in and cleaned our drains without recognition for the past 51 years. This recognition of their service for the first time proves that excellent performance will be rewarded equally regardless whether they are top officers or ordinary labourers.
Penang’s success in transforming itself into an international city depends on the success of rooting out “Little Napoleon” tendencies and delivering international standards of service. If we succeed, it is only fair that our civil servants enjoy international-scale pay.
However, the Penang state government will not hesitate to reprimand government officers who abuse their powers and behave like “Little Napoleons” such as Penang State Development Officer Nik Ali Mat Yunos. The Penang state government is committed towards promoting and rewarding excellent officers.
This special Hari Raya Aidilfitri one-off RM 400 special payment shows that the Penang State government values the services of Penang’s state civil service. The Penang State EXCO hopes that Penang civil servants will be motivated to work harder to enhance the delivery system and give better service.