Civil servants nationwide have been instructed to adopt a new sign-off for their official correspondence that would mention the ongoing state of emergency.
The new sign-off would read ‘Prihatin rakyat: Darurat memerangi Covid-19’ (Care for the rakyat: Emergency to fight Covid-19).
Civil servants previously signed off with the phrase ‘Saya yang menurut perintah’ (I, who obey orders), but this was replaced with ‘Saya yang menjalankan amanah’ (I, who am fulfilling trust) in September 2018 after Dr Mahathir Mohamad became prime minister for a second time.
The new sign-off referencing the emergency will be used until the emergency is over, according to a letter issued today by Public Service Department (PSD) director-general Mohd Khairul Adib Abd Rahman.
The letter is addressed to all top civil servants and has been posted on the PSD’s website.
In the letter, Mohd Khairul explained that the government has decided to adopt the new sign-off so that each and every civil servant would give full commitment to the measures taken to fight the Covid-19 pandemic.
“This phrase will be used as long as the emergency proclamation is in effect. This order takes immediate effect,” he said, signing off the letter with the new sign-off.
The emergency is in force until Aug 1, but an independent committee would be set up to advise the Yang di-Pertuan Agong whether it could be ended sooner.
The emergency ostensibly gives the government more powers to take measures to curb the pandemic, without seeking parliamentary approval, but critics have expressed concern over the lack of checks and oversight against those powers.
Opposition politicians have also accused Prime Minister Muhyiddin Yassin of using the emergency to maintain his grip on power after losing support from MPs. - Mkini
No comments:
Post a Comment
Note: Only a member of this blog may post a comment.