“Our approach is to tell them (officers and staff) to go back to basics,” said director-general Tan Sri Ismail Adam.  

“First, they have to know what they are supposed to do, as the PSD is responsible for the organisational structures, schemes of service, personnel appraisal system and human capital development, including getting people to go abroad for studies and for them to return to work for the Government.

“We are supposed to take care of the remuneration schemes, salaries, perks and so on. We are responsible for what kind of organisational structure to have at the various agencies or departments.

“These used to be rigid but in the last few years, we have allowed a lot of flexibility as long as they work within the budget. 

“We give flexibility to heads of department to organise themselves not only in terms of the structure but also the personnel they have,” he said in an interview.

As a central agency for human resource and organisational development, he said: “We have to ensure that the public sector is equipped with the appropriate personnel and structured accordingly so that the officers and staff can perform effectively as expected by the stakeholders.”

Prime Minister Datuk Seri Abdullah Ahmad Badawi had reminded the PSD that it should be driving initiatives towards enhancing the government machinery together with other central agencies, namely the Treasury, Malaysian Administrative Modern- isation and Management Planning Unit, Economic Planning Unit and Implementation Coordination Unit.

According to Ismail, he had explained to the PSD staff “this is our responsibility and we have to improve on our performance.”

“The most important ingredient for success is that the officers and staff must have the right skills, knowledge and attitude in doing what they are supposed to do.

“They must be able to relate to, educate and enlighten our corporate clients, essentially the 720 agencies at the federal, state, district and local levels.”

Prime Minister Datuk Seri Abdullah Ahmad Badawi is scheduled to address some 8,000 civil servants from various ministries at the eighth civil servants' gathering today. – Bernama