PUTRAJAYA: Department heads who fail to report misconduct by their subordinates will face disciplinary action, said Prime Minister Datuk Seri Anwar Ibrahim.
In his keynote address at the 19th Majlis Amanat Perdana Perkhidmatan Awam today, Anwar said the government has agreed to enhance performance management, the code of conduct, and disciplinary procedures.
"It is the responsibility of department heads to strengthen the integrity and governance of the Public Service Department (PSD).
"Those who fail to report the misconduct of their subordinates will face disciplinary action and consequently jeopardise their promotion prospects.
"Department heads should also continuously implement job rotation to prevent incidents of misconduct among public officials," he said in his speech.
Present were Chief Secretary to the Government Datuk Seri Shamsul Azri Abu Bakar and PSD Director-General Datuk Seri Wan Ahmad Dahlan Abdul Aziz.
Anwar, who is also Finance Minister, said civil servants must ensure that services provided to the public are aligned with their core responsibilities, rather than being burdened with administrative tasks.
He added that this is to prevent the waste of expertise and to address the shortage of workers, such as in hospitals that need additional resources.
"I want this issue to be properly examined by the relevant ministries and for resources to be realigned to where they are truly needed."
Anwar also said PSD is currently reviewing the feasibility of a competency-based policy to ensure that promotions and placements of officers match the competencies required for their positions.
He added that to improve the quality of civil service delivery to the public, several empowering measures need to be taken, including reviewing customer charters of ministries or departments that are no longer relevant.