KUALA NERUS: The procedure requiring state-level directors to seek approval from the director-general before issuing statements has been adopted by some government departments to avoid contradictory information, says Public Service Department (PSD) Director-General Tan Sri Wan Ahmad Dahlan Abdul Aziz.
He said that, with the ease of communication technology currently available, it should not have been a problem to obtain permission quickly, particularly when a statement was urgently needed by the media.
"This issue is subject to the federal director-general’s (discretion). There are departments that typically require the state director to consult the head of the department prior to issuing a statement, and once approval is obtained, the statement can be released.
"For issues that require an immediate response...now is the era where the world is at our fingertips. With just one WhatsApp message, the director-general can grant permission.
"There’s no need to write a letter; just get clearance to ensure that statements from the federal and the state do not contradict," he said.
He said this after attending the Majlis Perjumpaan Ketua Pengarah Perkhidmatan Awam Bersama Pegawai Awam Persekutuan Negeri Terengganu event at Universiti Malaysia Terengganu here on Wednesday (Oct 30).
Wan Ahmad Dahlan said in response to the difficulties some media practitioners encounter in obtaining permission from the director of a department, particularly at the state level.
When asked about the vacancy of a director in a department, such as in Terengganu and other states, he said there was no shortage of civil servants at that moment.
Wan Ahmad Dahlan stated the delay was probably due to the appointment process, which took time to ensure that the director or assistant director assigned to a particular state possessed the required experience.
Meanwhile, he stated that the government was optimistic about obtaining civil servants’ consent for the Public Service Remuneration System, as it was the best system ever implemented by the government.
"I am confident that civil servants will sign, but so far, there is no figure on what percentage has already signed since it has just started," he said.
Civil servants are given a 40-day period, from Oct 21 to Nov 30, to choose the SSPA, which will replace the Malaysian Remuneration System (SSM) effective Dec 1. - Bernama
