KUALA LUMPUR – Former prime minister Datuk Seri Najib Razak has ridiculed a government directive instructing civil servants to sign off official letters with a reference to the state of emergency.
In a Facebook post this evening, Najib uploaded an image of the circular signed by Public Service Department director-general Tan Sri Mohd Khairul Adib Abd Rahman announcing the adoption of “Prihatin Rakyat: Darurat Memerangi Covid-19”.
In the post titled “Directives on the use of phrases in all government letters”, Najib compared the new sign-off with those of previous Barisan Nasional (BN) and Pakatan Harapan (PH) administrations.
“Kerajaan BN: ‘Berkhidmat untuk negara’. Kerajaan PH: ‘Saya yang menjalankan amanah’,” he wrote. (BN government: “Serving the country.” PH government: “Carrying out my duty.”)
To show the contrast, Najib then notes that the Perikatan Nasional (PN) administration’s new sign-off is “Kerajaan PN: ‘Prihatin Rakyat: Darurat Memerangi Covid-19’”. (PN government: “Caring for the Rakyat: Emergency to Battle Covid-19.”)
His post raked up more than 5,000 likes and responses, and 217 shares within the first hour.
In the letter addressed to all top civil servants earlier today, Khairul said the new sign-off is to be used until the end of the emergency.
The circular, published on the department’s website, noted that the government has decided to use the sign-off to instil into public servants full commitment in adhering to measures under the emergency to fight the Covid-19 pandemic.
Khairul said the phrase will be used “as long as the emergency proclamation is implemented”, adding that the “order takes immediate effect”.
The emergency enforced earlier this month is due to stretch until August 1, but could end earlier at the behest of the Yang-di Pertuan Agong, who will be advised by an independent committee.
Prime Minister Tan Sri Muhyiddin, who proposed the emergency, has defended the move as necessary to combat the pandemic, but the proclamation has been criticised by his political opponents, who insist that the move supersedes Parliament, and overrides checks and balances. – The Vibes, January 26, 2021
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