This Report on Improvements and Developments in the Civil Service is the seventh in the series since its introduction in 1990. Its publication is a continuation of the efforts to document the progress that has been achieved by the Malaysian Civil Service through the implementation of administrative reforms from one year to another.
In addition to the increasing needs and expectations of the customer, the challenges arising from the globalized economy and the tremendous development of information technology have spurred the Civil Service to upgrade its administrative machinery. Its major mission is to provide the best possible service to the public at large, while at the same time ensuring a conducive environment to facilitate economic growth and enhance national competitiveness in meeting the objective of making Malaysia a developed nation by the year 2020.
The reform efforts are geared towards the inculcation of values of excellence in the Civil Service such as quality, productivity, innovation, integrity, accountability, discipline and professionalism. The programmes that have been introduced emphasize: (a) providing customeroriented services; (b) improving systems and procedures; (c) streamlining organizational structures; (d) upgrading human resource development; (e) enhancing accountability and discipline; (f) strengthening efforts at inculcating values of excellence; (g) enhancing the use of information technology and (h) strengthening collaboration with the private sector. These efforts are to be further strengthened in the years ahead.
One important programme recently introduced in the Civil Service was MS ISO 9000. Its implementation is expected to bring about a paradigm shift in the system of management and work culture of the Civil Service. It will enable a more effective quality management system that emphasizes process management based on principles that will guarantee products and services that meet the needs of the customer. The deciding factor for the success of this programme is the commitment of all heads of Government agencies to motivate, lead and guide staff in their respective agencies to fully implement the requirements stipulated under MS ISO 9000. It is hoped that all Government agencies will focus their efforts on this initiative.
Part of the success of the Civil Service in introducing management and administrative reforms results from increasingly widespread use of information technology. Attention will continue to be focused on expanding the use of the latest technology, particularly in terms of the efforts made towards achieving a paperless Civil Service and the implementation of electronic government as part of the development of the Multimedia Super Corridor (MSC).
The implementation of the Malaysia Incorporated Policy has been successful in establishing closer ties between the public and private sectors. Both sectors have shown themselves to be highly committed to playing their respective roles in enhancing economic growth and national competitiveness. The Malaysia Incorporated Policy will continue to be a key national policy and hence should be given due emphasis so that it is implemented more effectively.
Another important aspect that needs to be given attention is in the area of ®nancial management. Each and every public of®cer who is empowered and entrusted to manage public resources should carry out his or her responsibilities according to established rules and regulations. The Auditor-General's Report continues to point out weaknesses in ®nancial management and accounting procedures. As such, more stringent measures need to be implemented to further strengthen ®nancial management in Government agencies.
In his introduction to this volume the Chief Secretary states that the implementation of these administrative reform efforts should move in step with efforts to assimilate positive core values among members of the Civil Service. The assimilation of, and adherence to, such values will provide the foundation for the creation of a culture of excellence as well as a clean, ef®cient and trustworthy Civil Service. Hence there is a need for more strategic measures to enhance the assimilation and internalization of core positive values.
The publication of this volume is a welcome addition to the substantial documentation of Malaysia's reform efforts, which have received prominent attention in this journal in recent years.