KUALA LUMPUR, March 30 – The government is currently implementing the public service optimisation policy (DPPA) to increase efficiency in service delivery and to reduce the government’s financial burden.
Minister in the Prime Minister’s Department (Sabah, Sarawak Affairs and Special Functions) Armizan Mohd Ali told Senator Hajah Zurainah in a written Dewan Negara reply Tuesday that the optimisation of the use of human resources in the public service would be implemented through various methods, including privatisation, outsourcing, digitalisation, and alternative service delivery.
“To realise the effort on the optimisation of the use of human resources in the public service, the creation of new positions is not allowed unless there is a trade-off or redeployment and does not involve additional financial implications,” Armizan said.
“Besides that, the government is continuing a study on the overlap of functions between ministries/ departments/ agencies, the rationalisation of positions, and the filling of positions in a prudent manner according to need to achieve the appropriate size of the service (rightsizing).
“In the effort to optimise resources (finance and human resources), the use of ICT and the latest technology will be improved to support the functions and operations of the public service to increase productivity and effectiveness.
“This study is expected to reduce the issue of overlapping functions, besides optimising the use of resources (financial and human resources), strengthening financial management, reducing wastage, as well as solidifying the functions and roles of ministries/ departments/ agencies to be clearer, more effective, and in line with national outcomes.”
Armizan did not mention if the prohibition on the creation of new positions in the service, without a trade-off or redeployment, also applied to the Ministry of Health (MOH), even as health care workers are complaining about dire staff shortages across public hospitals and health clinics.
Berita Harian reported Prime Minister Anwar Ibrahim as telling the Senate yesterday, when tabling Budget 2023 for second reading, that the government would resolve contract doctor issues in three years.
He said the MOH received the second largest allocation at RM36.3 billion in the 2023 budget, including RM3 billion for more than 1,500 permanent and contract appointments of medical, dental, and pharmacy officers.
“If the government wants to solve everything for 4,000 (permanent appointments) as demanded, that means we need RM10 billion annually. Therefore, it’s impossible. That’s why I gave a guarantee for 1,500 (appointments) this year. Next year or the following, say in a period of three years, we can solve this problem.”
