Nice try, Sidek – Tan Teck Huat

He does protest too much.

Does the Chief Secretary to the Government expect Malaysians to believe that there is no political input in the appointment of state secretaries or senior government officials?

He must mistake the intelligence of the average Malaysians for the minions he works with daily. Come on and get real. Political considerations form the cornerstone of every decision in Malaysia, from the award of lucrative contracts to the appointment of Chief Secretaries to the Government.

Independent-minded government officials or those who will not “play ball” are never promoted to the top positions. Sidek should know this intimately. He would not have had his tenure renewed a couple of times past his retirement age without the greenlight from Prime Minister Najib Razak.

And he would not have been appointed KSN if his former boss at MITI Rafidah Aziz had not given Abdullah Badawi a report about him. That is just the way these things work not only in Malaysia, but in most developing/emerging countries around the world.

The politicians always want to make sure that the civil servants are on the same page and not likely to frustrate their policies, plans or machinations.

So Sidek can recite all the legislation he wants (incidentally some of the most eminent lawyers in town not the chap in the AG’s Chambers who has lost all the big cases believe that the input of the Selangor Mentri besar must be sought before appointing the state secretary ) but the fact remains that Khusrin Munawi appears the least qualified candidate but most suitably politically amenable candidate.

A man who can hardly speak English surely cannot be the top civil servant in the most industrialised state. Maybe loyalty and compliance are more important than competence.

The rumour going around is that Sidek’s term has been extended for another term.

If this is true, congratulations Tan Sri. You must be popular in Putrajaya. - Malaysia Insider