Dr Sim gives his thumbs-up during a blood pressure reading at the carnival.
KUCHING (March 5): Recruiting civil servants based on ethnicity-quota would not augur well for the development of Sarawak, said Deputy Premier Dato Sri Dr Sim Kui Hian.
The Public Health, Housing and Local Government Minister said recruiting civil servants based solely on quota and ethnicity may put the quality of the state’s civil services at stake.
“It should not just (base on) quota but we also want good people. We don’t want to have the quota only and yet people who are no good (lacking the necessary requirements) also go in.
“We want both quota and meritocracy. You have to be good. We don’t want them (recruited civil servants) to be just (based on quota),” he said when met by reporters after launching the Sarawak HEAR Hearing, Ear Nose Throat (ENT) Screening and Health Carnival 2023 at Farley Supermarket here today.
Dr Sim disclosed that he had recently come across a case whereby a father had approached him to complain about his daughter facing unsuccessful applications into the state’s civil service.
“He said his daughter has been trying to join for six or seven hears. He even complained that we talk only. In fact, I helped organise a special interview for her. But the daughter could not speak (Bahasa Malaysia) at the interview.
“We want people who are really of merit. We don’t want people to say, oh so many of you there and yet no good. We also don’t want to be blamed.
“The whole idea is that we want both (meritocracy and quota) but when your daughter cannot speak (BM), what do you want me to do? I also don’t want to hear that my son cannot speak (BM) but still wants the job,” said the SUPP president.
In Sarawak, Dr Sim said the premier had gradually implemented many changes which saw Sarawak having the first Chinese deputy secretary general Datu Hii Chang Kee and also Sarawak Federation of Chinese Associations president Datuk Richard Wee being appointed as the Yayasan Sarawak board member.
“All these are gradually being done by our premier,” he said.
Meanwhile, Dr Sim refused to comment on Education Minister who recently said that the ministry had no plan to recognise Unified Examination Certificate (UEC).
He said SUPP Youth chief Michael Tiang, who is also his deputy minister, is expected to issue a statement on the subject matter later.
Early last month, Works Minister Dato Sri Alexander Nanta Linggi suggested that the Sarawak government establish a quota system based on ethnicity for the recruitment of civil servants.