Pakatan says won’t slash civil service size

By Yow Hong Chieh

November 09, 2011

Salahuddin said PR would guarantee the positions of the 1.2 million-strong civil service. — File pic

KUALA LUMPUR, Nov 9 — Pakatan Rakyat (PR) today said it will not trim the bloated civil service if it takes over Putrajaya, but will instead focus on making government staff more efficient.

In what appeared to be a move to quell public sector anger over DAP publicity chief Tony Pua’s proposal to reduce civil service headcount, the opposition pact today stressed it would retain existing staff should it win federal power.

“Pakatan Rakyat would like to clarify that the position of the 1.2 million civil servants and officers will be guaranteed, as enshrined in [Articles 132 and 135] of the Constitution,” PAS vice president Salahuddin told reporters in the Parliament lobby.

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