PUTRAJAYA: The government is trying to address career stagnation among civil servants, starting with those in the Immigration Department.
Chief Secretary to the Government Tan Sri Shamsul Azri Abu Bakar said in the case of the Immigration Department, one of the pressing issues was that many long-serving staff members have been stuck at mid-level grades for decades.
This, he told Media Prima in an exclusive interview recently, left them with limited promotion opportunities.
He cited cases where people had worked for "more than 30 years but still remained at grade 44 or 48".
Up to August, the country had around 1.6 million civil servants.
Shamsul Azri said he had a meeting with Immigration officers' groups and staff members to discuss workplace challenges and expectations.
This, he added, was done with the Public Service Department to explore better career pathways.
The meeting, held on Nov 7, was part of a government initiative to create a platform for direct communication with civil servants.
"We reached out. We had a heart-to-heart and we asked pertinent questions," he said.
Shamsul Azri acknowledged that salaries for civil servants were not high, and that career growth remained a key motivator.
"When you have improved prospects, it fosters self-motivation," he said.
He added that these efforts were part of the core principles under the Public Service Reform Agenda (2024-2030), aimed at making work environments more enjoyable and productive.
Detailing plans to improve the sector's efficiency, he said it was set to undergo significant changes in work processes as part of the government's larger modernisation drive.
"We are placing a strong focus on artificial intelligence (AI) and we have already sent senior government officers to India to gain expertise in this field," he said.
One of the key objectives was to streamline information technology (IT) systems, making them more efficient and reducing waiting times for services.
He said the officers would undergo six months' intensive training in AI, with the aim of increasing their knowledge and applying it to improve the civil service's IT systems.
"Upon their return, this group will work with their respective ministries to review potential improvements."
On Saturday, the New Straits Times had quoted Shamsul Azri as saying civil service promotions would be more streamlined and based on stringent merit-based criteria under the new Public Service Remuneration System.
Chief Secretary to the Government Tan Sri Shamsul Azri Abu Bakar said any officer considered for promotion must be skilled, knowledgeable, experienced and prepared for added responsibilities.