KUALA LUMPUR: The decision to freeze hiring for the public sector must be reversed as it would discourage graduates from seeking employment in the civil service.
Congress of Unions of Employees in Public and Civil Services (Cuepacs) president Datuk Azih Muda said the moratorium on new posts would result in a negative perception.
“The government needs to reverse the decision.
“This will create a negative perception among graduates and young Malaysians who wants to work in the civil service,” he told the New Straits Times today.
Azih said the government had always said the people’s welfare and well being would come first and the freeze on new posts contradicts the objective.
“The hiring process should continue. The implication from this freeze will be detrimental to civil servants seeking a promotion.
“If there are no new hires, a civil servant will be stuck in his or her position and will not be able to upgrade his position for a promotion,” said Azih.
The umbrella body which represents over 800,000 workers in the public sector, also labelled the freeze as “unreasonable” and “uncalled for”, and cautioned that it would affect public support for the government.
On May 8, the Public Services Department (PSD) announced in a statement the freeze on new posts as a rationalisation measure to control the size of the civil service as implemented in 2008, 2010, and 2011.
The department also said the freeze in new posts in the civil service would be offset by efforts to increase employment opportunities in the private sector.
At present there are 1.61 million civil servants as of December 31, last year, and the rationalisation approach was taken to ensure the continuous development of the country and the prosperity of the people.
Meanwhile, Malaysian Medical Association (MMA) president Dr H. Krishna Kumar said there was no freeze on the hiring of new housemen as there was a long waiting list.
“The association has enquired (with the department) and there are no problems in hiring new doctors (as housemen) as the waiting list is very long,” he added.
Dr Krishna was responding to the call made by Health Minister Datuk Seri Dr S. Subramaniam that the Public Services Department (PSD) should reconsider the hiring freeze especially for the health sector.
On Monday, Dr Subramaniam had said the policy would affect the health services provided by the ministry especially when it wants to expand its services and new manpower would be needed to run the facilities in the new hospitals and clinics.
It was learnt that there are approximately 40,000 doctors in both government and private hospitals.