Inept ministers, YBs to be axed

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They will be dropped from cabinet or not picked for next election

Adenan leaving the State Legislative Assembly complex with his wife Datin Patinggi Datuk Jamilah Anu on the last day of the assembly sitting yesterday.

Adenan leaving the State Legislative Assembly complex with his wife Datin Patinggi Datuk Jamilah Anu on the last day of the assembly sitting yesterday.

KUCHING: Ministers better treat their key performance indicator (KPI) seriously or risk being dropped from the State Cabinet.

The same goes for BN elected representatives. Those with poor KPIs would not be fielded in the next election.

“There could be cabinet reshuffle. If they don’t perform, they have to go,” said Chief Minister Datuk Patinggi Tan Sri Adenan Satem before leaving the State Legislative Assembly yesterday.

For the elected representatives, he cautioned, “They may not be asked to stand again.”

Adenan was approached by reporters for clarifications because during his winding-up speech, he said he had set up performance-based management at all ministries, and all ministers were required to have their own KPIs.

“These KPIs are also important to ensure that there is always a strategic alignment between KPIs of the ministries and the state’s development goals and objectives,” he had said.

“I will be monitoring closely the performance of the ministers through their KPIs.”

All BN YBs are also required to have their own KPIs, and they are to submit their reports—in a standard reporting format—to Adenan every six months.

Adenan said with the KPIs in place, he expected all YBs to always be up-to-date on issues and problems faced by their constituents.

“Through this effort, we will be able to provide better services to the people.”

In the private sector, the KPI system is usually tagged with incentives or consequences. For instance, those with good KPIs will be rewarded with increment and bigger bonuses. Those who failed to perform will get no increment or bonuses or even less pay.

But for ministers and assemblymen, this method of reward and punishment cannot be used as their salaries are a state matter and can only be changed by the August House.

Meanwhile, Deputy Chief Minister Tan Sri Datuk Amar Dr James Jemut Masing agreed that under normal circumstances, monetary gains might be used to reward those performing well and monetary loss a way to punish non performers.

However, this could not be applied to ministers or elected representatives.

“For us, our monthly incomes are fixed. If our KPI is good, our salary cannot be increased. If our KPI is bad, our monthly incomes cannot be decreased, too.”

“But CM has the right to take us out from our portfolio. If we are not doing well as ministers, he can put us somewhere else,” said Masing, who is also Minister of Infrastructure and Transportation.

Met the State Assembly complex, he said there might be a cabinet reshuffle if KPIs shown by the cabinet ministers were not consistent, where some performed and others did not.

“He (Adenan) can do a cabinet reshuffle within one or two years. That is why people like us must always be on our toes,” said Masing.

He pointed out there could be many reasons for poor performance by ministers, such as being lazy or being incapable. Whatever the reasons, those showing poor KPIs should be dropped.

Masing, who is also Baleh assemblyman, said apart from the KPI system introduced by Adenan, assemblyman like him also had to face the voters every five years.

“Five years later, we have a big interview coming through. My area has 12,000 people interviewing me. That is even worse than KPIs.”