PUTRAJAYA: Malaysia's ambitious civil service reforms risk faltering if federal-state relations do not align, says Chief Secretary to the Government Tan Sri Shamsul Azri Abu Bakar.
He said without the active involvement of state governments and local authorities, reforms would remain a federal initiative with limited impact across the nation.
He said all state secretaries will gather to formally pledge their commitment to the reform agenda.
This, he said, will be officialised through the 'Kuala Lumpur Declaration' initiative, set to be launched on Nov 23 as part of the two-year Madani government anniversary celebration.
He said the declaration calls for the commitment from all parties, regardless of their political ideology, to prioritise the welfare of the people.
"Malaysia's civil service reforms are aimed at providing the best possible service to all citizens, irrespective of the political parties in power at the state level," he said in an interview with the Media Prima Berhad group recently.
Shamsul Azri said the declaration is also seen as a crucial step towards ensuring a unified and effective approach to governance.
"This (the reforms) goes beyond the federal government and requires the collaboration of all levels of government to bring about lasting change," he said.
A three-day programme to celebrate two years of the Madani government will be held at the Kuala Lumpur Convention Centre from Nov 22 to 24.
The programme, which includes the 2024 National Public Service Reform Convention, is being organised by the Prime Minister's Office through the Performance Acceleration Coordination Unit and the Malaysia Productivity Corporation.
Prime Minister Datuk Seri Anwar Ibrahim will officiate the two-year anniversary programme, themed "Madani Di Hati, Rakyat Disantuni", on Nov 23.