Don't underestimate civil servants, Azmin tells Najib

Selangor Menteri Besar Azmin Ali is of the opinion that civil servants should not be underestimated.

He was responding to Prime Minister Najib Abdul Razak who yesterday warned civil servants of a possibly bleak future if the opposition were to come into power.

Azmin, however, said that civil servants, be it in the federal or state level, know what is happening in the country.

"They are also matured enough to see what the Selangor state government has achieved and I always say that most of it, comes from the role played by civil servants," Azmin told reporters in Shah Alam today.

Praising civil servants further, Azmin said civil servants in the Selangor state government have also been instrumental in making Selangor the most developed and successful state.

"This is why we give them two months worth of bonus compared to the federal government.

"I think the prime minister has taken a wrong step by undermining the role of civil servants, be it in the federal or state level, because civil servants are not involved in politics and they shouldn't be dragged into politics."

This is especially since civil servants hold on to the civil service charter which requires them to act professionally and with integrity, he added.

"They know what's happening in Putrajaya that has led to the country's 'quite sluggish' development, compared to a few years ago.

"And compared with Selangor, Alhamdulillah, we continue to head towards sustainable development that benefits the rakyat, as well as civil servants."

Najib, in his annual address to civil servants yesterday, asked them to imagine what will happen to the majority of civil servants if the opposition is allowed to administer the country.

"Are you willing to gamble away your future as well as the future of your descendants to such quarters?" he had asked.

Meanwhile, on another matter, the Selangor menteri besar said the state government has never viewed the organisation of alcohol-related events as an issue.

"We have given approval for the last few years but the organisers must comply with the conditions set. That's the normal practice.

"We gave the approval last year, we gave the approval in the last few years so we will continue to give approval subject to the compliance of the terms set by the PBT (local authorities)," he added.

The German F&B Festival and "Oktoberfest" are scheduled to be held in Klang and Petaling Jaya respectively.

Selangor senior exco member Teng Chang Khim had hinted that the organisers of the German F&B Festival will proceed as they had received a temporary permit from Klang Municipal Council (MPK) that had included 20 conditions and an RM400 fee.- Mkini