PUBLIC SERVICE CONFERENCE: Muhyiddin (centre) talking to the author of ‘Outcome-Based Public Service Delivery’, Tan Sri Ismail Adam (right) after opening the 17th Public Service Conference at the National Institute of Public Administration (Intan) in Kuala Lumpur yesterday. Looking on is Dr Ali Hamsa. — Bernama photo
KUALA LUMPUR: Deputy Prime Minister Tan Sri Muhyiddin Yassin said yesterday the public service can be enhanced by strengthening the ‘choice agenda’ concept of making available services based on the needs and demands of customers.
He said that in this modern era of public service delivery, the issue of flexibility in providing services and giving the option to customers or citizens was a prerequisite in appreciation of their choices and aspirations.
“We do not deny that the other way of empowering users to shape the public service is to bring the element of choice into the public service,” he said when opening the 17th Public Service Conference at the National Institute of Public Administration (Intan), here.
Also present were the Chief Secretary to the Government, Datuk Seri Dr Ali Hamsa, and the president of the Administrative and Diplomatic Service Association, Datuk Seri Zainal Rahim Seman.
The two-day conference, with the theme of “Public Services of the Future: Opportunities and Challenges”, is attended by 350 public service officers, among them 20 from India, the Philippines, Singapore and Tanzania.
Muhyiddin, who is also the education minister, said the aspect of complaint management was most important because the enhancement of public service quality was closely linked to the number of complaints managed in each organisation.
He said the quality of public service management was no longer confined to the satisfaction of the customer but covered their loyalty as well.
Hence, the dedication, wisdom and determination of civil servants to assess and act quickly to resolve a complaint was the benchmark for the improvement in quality of the public service, he said.
Muhyiddin also emphasised the importance for each government organisation to pool resources, strengths, desires and aspirations to generate proactive policies and decisions and achieve optimal service delivery.
“It has to be reminded that cooperation and coordination in resolving issues among ministries are important, and I hope that the mentality of working in silos by the ministries and government agencies would be addressed comprehensively,” he said.
The deputy prime minister reminded civil servants at all levels to see and evaluate things holistically and act resourcefully in completing a task.
He said this was important because the public service was a mantra to efforts to respond positively to the intensive and comprehensive transformation agenda. — Bernama