PUTRAJAYA: The Public Service Remuneration System (SSPA) will be the top priority for newly-minted Public Service Department (PSD) director-general Datuk Seri Wan Ahmad Dahlan Abdul Aziz.
After his clocking-in ceremony here today, Wan Ahmad Dahlan said he would be focusing on the civil service salary scheme, which had not seen an increase since 2012.
"This was also an order by Chief Secretary to the Government Tan Sri Zuki Ali, to speed up the SSPA.
"So this will be my main focus, because I know many in the civil service are hoping for the SSPA to become a reality soon."
Last November, Prime Minister Datuk Seri Anwar Ibrahim said the government was expected to unveil a fresh set of guidelines for the salary scheme of the country's civil service by the end of next year.
Meanwhile, Wan Ahmad Dahlan said he would also focus on the digitalisation of the public service, something he said must be embraced by the civil servants in line with the Fourth Industrial Revolution and artificial intelligence.
"The other thing is the competency of the civil service. The Prime Minister has emphasised that the civil servants must stay versed and have current knowledge.
"I have been made to understand that we already have the framework based on the PSD's cross-fertilisation programme, but we might improve it based on impact and feedback received from the programme," he added.
Wan Ahmad Dahlan's appointment was announced by Zuki in a statement yesterday.
The 58-year-old has a Bachelor's Degree (Honours) in Communication Science from Airlangga University, Surabaya, Indonesia.
He also holds a Master's Degree in Strategic and Defense Studies from Universiti Malaya.
Previously, Wan Ahmad Dahlan was the Home Ministry secretary-general, and had served in the PSD in 2014 before becoming the Comptroller of the Istana Negara Royal Household.
Prior to his appointment as PSD director-general, he was the director-general for the Implementation Coordination Unit under the Prime Minister's Department.