Civil servants recruitment based on merit, not racial quotas, says Cuepacs

SHAH ALAM - The appointment of staff in the public service service is done based on the candidate's merit and competency set by the Public Services Commission.

The Congress of Union of Employees in the Public and Civil Services Malaysia (Cuepacs) said it takes the issue of an elected representative's attempt to politicise the public service sector by saying it is dominated by Malays seriously.

Its chairman Datuk Adnan Mat said the Public Services Commission has never stipulated the public service personnel's recruitment should meet any quota related to religions, races, ethnicities or states.

"On the contrary, most of the worker who joined the public service was based on their own's wishes, interests and inclinations.

"The application is open to everyone of all races and religions.

"How would anyone enter the public service or show interest in serving the country if they did not apply through the commission," he said in a statement today.

Recently, Penang deputy chief minister P Ramasamy, in a Facebook post was reported as saying that he urged the government to carry out reforms in the public service sector, claiming it is being dominated by the Malays.

He added Cuepacs was upset after the politician made an open statement without confirming the real situation in the public service with the government.

"The statement about race-based policies in the recruitment and promotion of civil servants is a serious and baseless accusation.

"The commission has never set race as a determining factor in hiring or promoting civil servants as claimed by the politician," he said.

He urged politicians to create awareness over career opportunites in the public service.

"It is an important effort as various races are interested to know about it.

"It is inappropriate to accuse the public service belonging to a certain race when you, yourself as a representative, do not work together with the public service to further improve career development in the public sector.

However, Adnan did not deny there are less non-Bumiputera's participation as the view the salary as lower in comparison to private sector or businesses.

"Most of the people working in the public sector, especially in the security and defence sector were due to patriotic factors and for the love for the country.

"Civil servants have never neglected in serving the country, and they are also the first group in the front line to help the people in the event of a disaster or emergency," he added.