The civil service has to respond not only to the conventional but also the alternative media to deliver services more efficiently, Chief Secretary to the Government Tan Sri Mohd Sidek Hassan said today. “Gone are the days when public officials could choose to ignore the media, complaints, telephone rings or even letters to editors,” he said during a luncheon talk titled “Challenges of Malaysian Business Competitiveness in the Global Economy”. He said the notion that the alternative media was associated with “young punks” no longer holds true as it now knows no age limit. Sidek said the speed of information is such that countries and companies of today needed web-based crisis management plans to address effects of negative blogging in times of crisis. “Even the prime minister himself has initiated a website for the public to write in directly to him on any issues. If the prime minister is taking and making all efforts to engage the public individually and directly, surely this clearly sets the standard of service for the public and private sectors,” he said.
fr The NST Online.
