KUALA LUMPUR: Prime Minister Datuk Seri Najib Razak today paid tribute to former chief secretary to the government Tan Sri Sidek Hassan during the launching of latter's memoir "No Wrong Door - The Story of Sidek Hassan".
In his speech, Najib praised Sidek over his 38-year long service as a government servant, in which the prime minister detailed the ex-top civil servant's transformative stepping stone from childhood to now, where he is currently chairman of Petronas.
Najib said Sidek's humble beginnings from Cherok Paloh brought the realisation that the delivery system was not client friendly.
"The odds of a kampung boy who succeeded in life and found himself to be the chief secretary to the government. That itself is an amazing story.
"This kampung boy has made it with the contribution from the government. I learned he had RM20 bursary from the government and that made Sidek the man he is today.
"What I had meant to say is, whether you are a rich man or a chief secretary to government...somewhere along the way, we have helped you."
"No Wrong Door" symbolises how a customer must be served with utmost efficiency and cordial manner.
The book regaled Sidek's journey from his modest childhood as a kampung boy to how he applied the National Blue Ocean Strategy (NBOS), broadening the mindset of those around him, bridging the gap between public and private sector, and realising the government delivery system needed improvement by stressing how "the duty of the civil service is to facilitate and not to frustrate the customers."
It also illustrates a man who swam against the current with perseverance and determination to achieve personal goals.
Najib said among the contributions made by Sidek included the delivery and facilitation of NBOS which saw seamless cooperation between the police and army.
Another noteworthy contribution Sidek initiated was his leadership at the Special Task Force to Facilitate Business or Pemudah, a high-powered task force to address bureaucracy in business-government dealings.
The book was published Universiti Kebangsaan Malaysia and written by Dr Rokiah Talib.
Also present were Prof Tan Sri Noor Azlan Ghazali and current chief secretary to the government Tan Sri Ali Hamsa.