PUTRAJAYA: The Public Service Department (JPA) said no directive had been issued for the mass termination of civil servants not possessing a Sijil Pelajaran Malaysia (SPM) certificate.
Responding to the claim made by the Congress of Unions of Employees in the Public and Civil Services (Cuepacs) about the termination of 30,000 contract staff, the JPA emphasised that all appointments and contract management decisions were made after thorough consideration based on service needs and current government policies.
"Instead, managing such personnel's Contract of Service (CoS) is based on current service needs and mutual agreement involving both parties.
"The approval of CoS under OS29000 allocation for 2024 involving personnel without SPM was limited to only 2,037 individuals.," JPA said in a statement on Tuesday (Feb 18)
As of Feb 13, JPA received 108 applications from various agencies requesting exemptions from service scheme requirements to reappoint contract officers without SPM following the implementation of the Public Service Remuneration System (SSPA).
"Out of the total applications, 83 have been approved, while 25 applications could not be considered because the officers were still under contract or had prior irregular appointments. This demonstrates the government's commitment to addressing the issue inclusively and thoughtfully," the statement read.
JPA said the SSPA implementation has upgraded 14 service schemes that previously accepted Penilaian Menengah Rendah (PMR) or Form Three Assessment (PT3) qualifications to now requiring SPM qualification but this change will not result in terminating contracts for public servants currently serving with PMR or PT3 qualifications.
"This decision aligns with changes in the national education system, as the PMR and PT3 examinations are no longer being conducted. With the abolition of these exams, the SPM has now become the minimum educational qualification required for entry into public service," the statement added.
As of Dec 31, 2024, data from the Public Service Commission showed that 302,284 individuals applied for the General Service Assistant position, with 186,010 holding SPM qualifications.
JPA added that the government must balance fulfilling service qualification requirements with providing opportunities to eligible candidates when considering new appointments.
"The government is always open to discussions with all parties, including Cuepacs, in order to find the best and fairest solutions for all stakeholders. The government's priority is to ensure that the public service workforce meets current needs while also safeguarding the welfare of contract officers," the statement said.
On Feb 13, Cuepacs president Datuk Adnan Mat urged the government to reconsider its decision to not extend the contracts of 30,000 civil servants who lacked SPM qualifications.
He said not renewing their contracts without considering their six years of service experience was unfair.- Bernama
