[UPDATED] Anwar urges civil service to play their role towards nation building

PUTRAJAYA – Newly installed Prime Minister Datuk Seri Anwar Ibrahim has called on the civil administrative service to play their part in ensuring change towards betterment for the nation.

In his keynote address during his inaugural monthly assembly with officers in the Prime Minister’s Office (PMO) this morning, Anwar stressed that his success thus far can be partly attributed to the support provided by public servants.

“I could not have made it to where I am now without the pillar of civil service providing aid, not politically, but with professional service bound by vows to better our society,” the Pakatan Harapan leader said.

“Our country is in dire need of change. The level we once achieved has dropped because of issues such as corruption and fund misappropriation at all levels, including civil servants.

“As such, I would like to take this opportunity to urge (our civil forces) to come together and work towards a better nation.” 

Speaking to a crowd of over 300 civil servants from the PMO department, Anwar emphasised that wayward practices involving government contracts can no longer be tolerated. 

“This country can no longer allow corruption and bribery to leak through our systems, (especially regarding) acquiring approval (for contracts) without an open tender,” he said. 

“The situation of our nation must change, (and this) starts with our leaders, including our civil servants and ministers.” 

He added that while prime ministers come and go, the civil administrative service should be upheld as the backbone to any functioning government.

“I know that a common drawback in leaders is that we are often too sure in our stand, which is why I make it a point to hear out more experienced civil servants.

“My advice to soon-to-be cabinet members is to respect this process,” he said, quipping that the ministers will be appointed “in the near future” without providing an exact date. 

Yesterday, Anwar said that the announcement of his cabinet line-up is taking “some time” as he needs to take into account the views of various parties under his unity government.

Besides that, Anwar, who is also Tambun MP, appeared to brush aside claims accusing him of being an “Israeli agent”, saying that focus should instead be directed to administering the nation. 

“I don’t care about slander against me calling me an Israeli agent. I hope that we can give our full attention to work matters now,” he said.

“Based on my experience in several ministries, I know that we will never be able to achieve anything if there is no commitment.” 

It was reported yesterday that Anwar had instructed police to investigate those who went overboard in hurling baseless accusations and issuing slanderous statements that threaten the country’s harmony.

Meanwhile, Anwar also reminisced on his time as finance minister from 1991 to 1998, pointing out that he has consistently made use of his power to benefit all citizens instead of a few opulent families. 

“One of my first few directives as finance minister was to disallow my family members or close relations from being prioritised for any government project. 

“The reason this country is broken is not because of our civil servants. Instead, it is due to poor leadership causing massive loss to numerous families and affecting the nation’s image,” he said. – The Vibes, November 29, 2022