Government won’t reduce civil service, says PSD chief

Public Service Department director-general Zainal Rahim Seman says the government will take in the same number of employees based on the same requirements.

The government has no intention of reducing number of civil servants. (Blogspot pic)

BALIK PULAU: The government has no intention of reducing the number of civil servants in the country as the opposition plans to do.

Public Service Department director-general Zainal Rahim Seman said the issue had never arisen under the leadership of Prime Minister Najib Razak.

“Every year, we open up jobs in the civil service. We estimate that each year about 35,000 will retire, either on mandatory retirement, for health reasons or early retirement.

“As such, the government will take in the same number of employees based on the same requirements. So there is no question of posts in the civil service being frozen, it does not arise at all,” he told reporters after presenting aid to repair houses at the homes of three civil servants in Pondok Upeh yesterday.

Zainal said the government had never blocked employment opportunities in the civil service either, adding that these had always existed.

“So anyone who has the necessary qualifications can apply to the Public Service Commission for a job.”

He added that the government was looking at creating key posts to meet the needs of the future such as the challenge of mega trends and the industrial revolution 4.0, while also focusing on areas like scientific data. -FMT