Asnor's stint with the element of WCO

Tak ramai berpeluang macam saudara Asnor dapat ke medan taklimat mengenai WCO ...World Class Organisation Syukur menyampaikan maklumat melalui email supaya dapat dikongsi bersama, cuma izinkan saya merekodkannya didalam jurnal ini untuk rujukan kami semua yang tidak berpeluang hadir dan elok menjadi panduan jua...memandangkan tempuh ke arah WCO hanya tak sampai 3 tahun lagi. Dengan maklumat ini jua bolehlah kita sama sama renungkan bahawa WCO juga menuju ke arah Q ?? Date: Wed, 27 Feb 2008 10:22:10 +0800    Subject: Elements of World Class Organisation
Tuan-tuan dan Puan-puan,  Saya cuma nak sharing my info from Penang about elements of :  "To be a  World Class Organization 2010"  What is A World Class Organization?  A world class organization can be defined as “An organization which has acquired the  position of Best of the Bests in the world in its given business and continuously  strives for beating its oven standards so as to retain that position”  This definition gives us some pointers which can be rightly called some of the  characteristics of a world class organization:  Characteristics of a world class organization  - Goal (Vision, Mission, Strategic Plan)  - Leadership  - Helping Each Other (Family Hood)  - Transparent  (   )  - Updated  - Integrated  - Staff Recognition (  )  - Persistent  - Measure  - Continuous Improvement  - Relentless Focus on Customer Satisfaction  - Best of the Bests  - Networking  - Collaboration  Strategies for Developing World Class Organizations  - Knowledgeable  - Obsession with Quality  - Developing the Most Professional Employees  - Innovation and Reinvention  - World Class Leadership  - Relax with strategy  - Achieve one of the focus areas (1 to 6) then follows by others focus area  Leadership is the ability of developing and communicating a vision to a group of people  that will make that vision true. The leader has to master five practices. The practices are:  1. Challenge the Process  2. Inspire a Shared Vision  3. Enable others to act  4. Model the Way  5. Encourage the Heart  Credibility  After twenty years of research Posner & Kouzes found that people want leaders who are  credible. If there's no credibility there's no leadership.  The authors state that credibility is the foundation of Leadership.  They also state that there are four characteristics that a leader must have to be  credible: honest, forward-looking, competent, and inspiring. They found that when  there's a high degree of credibility you can expect to see the following behavior:  a) People are proud to tell others they're part of the organization.  b) They feel a strong sense of team spirit.  c) They see their own personal values as consistent with those of the    organization.  d) Feel attached and committed to the organization.  e) Have a sense of ownership of the organization.  Summing up  To become a leader, you have to develop a vision, be able to communicate that vision,  and inspire the group you'll work with to achieve it. You must have credibility. You  have to build that credibility before you can lead. Do not compromise your honesty, be  competent in whatever you do and be aware (forward-looking). Change is everywhere,  everyday you must face it and be flexible enough to adapt yourself to lead.  Tahniah kepada Bah Korporat kerana telah melaksanakan taklimat Strategic Plan Zon Utara  di Pulau Pinang pada 24 - 26 Feb 2008.  Best Regards,  Asnor Muizan b. Ishak  Hydrology and Water Resources Division,

Langkah2 Mendelegasikan Tanggungjawab

11 Steps for Effective Delegating

Delegation, put most simply, involves the assignment of a specific task or project by one person to another, and the person’s commitment to complete the task or project. It is one of the most important skills demonstrated by successful leaders and one often neglected or overlooked by "overworked" leaders. Effective delegators spend time planning work assignments and organizing resources to achieve business goals in the most productive way possible.

When you delegate, you not only transfer responsibility to another person, but also accountability for maintaining established standards.

Effective delegation can have short- and long-term benefits for you, your staff, and your organization. When you delegate, you can reduce your workload and stress level by removing from your "to-do" list tasks that others are qualified to do. This increases the time available to you for focusing on projects that require your particular skills and authority, as well as higher-level tasks such as long-term planning and policy development.

For the most effective delegation, follow these guidelines:

1. Encourage your staff to share their special interests and time availability for new projects.

2. Build a sense of shared responsibility for the unit’s overall goals.

3. Avoid dumping only tedious or difficult jobs on your staff. Instead, delegate projects and tasks that spark staff interest and can be enjoyable.

4. Provide possible career opportunity for a staff member by delegating projects, tasks, or functions that involve high visibility with your manager or a high-level manager in another organization.

5. Delegate to people whose judgment and competence you trust. Your ability to select the right person reflects your skill in making decisions and setting goals.

6. Recognize that delegation is a learning experience for you and your staff, and offer training or coaching as needed.

7. Develop trust in a less skilled staff member by delegating very structured assignments and providing the support needed for the person to develop increased competence.

8. Whenever possible, delegate an entire project or function, not just a small piece; this will likely increase motivation and commitment.

9. Create clear guidelines for follow-up, monitoring and feedback.

10. Maintain open lines of communication. Say “Let me know if you run into any problems you cannot handle.”

11. Clearly define goals, expected outcomes, and measures of success to minimize wasted time and resources and ensure the task, project, or function is completed successfully.

Mengurus Kuasa

" Power....... is not an end in itself, but is an instrument

that must be used toward an end "

Jeanne Kirkpatrick

Apabila banyaknya kuasa kita punya, banyak dan mudah lah tindakan dan impian kita terlaksana. Kita berkuasa menentukan siapa saja yang mengambil bahagian didalam sebarang projek, dan siapa yang tidak. Kitalah menentukan parameter dan arah yang hendak dituju. Jenis kuasa sebegini amat mengasyik dan melalaikan kita. Ia juga boleh membawa padah  keatas orang yang waras bertukar sesat and hilang tujuan murni sesuatu organisasi dan insan yang hendak dipimpin.

Memaksimumkan kuasa yang ada bukan lah membawa pengertian Kepimpinan yang baik. Jika itulah matlamatnya maka kuasa tadi membawa kegilaan. Hanya dengan memperoleh kuasa secara memimpin orang orang yang dipimpin dan menunjukkan kita berkerja keras ke satu aras yang mempunyai matlamat yang lebih tinggi. Kita akan terus membangun dengan dorongan daripada orang orang yang nampak faedah yang diperolehi daripada kepimpinan kita itu, yang mana kita yang berkuasa. Buktikan yang kuasa yang kita bawa itu membawa nilai sepatutnya dan melayakkan diri kita sebagai pengurusnya.

Di Penjara Fikiran

" Once we are destined to lived out our lives in the prison of our mind, our one duty is to furnish it well "

Peter Ustinov

Hanya diri kita seorang yang sebenarnya tahu apa yang berlaku didalam fikiran sendiri. Orang lain mungkin cuba menyelami dan membacanya, tetapi mereka tidak akan dapat tahu sepenuhnya apa yang terpendam di kepala kita, aspirasi dan gerakan minda. Apa yang orang lain boleh perhatikan adalah, lagak dan perangai kita. Dan lamunan fikiran, macamana hebat berfikir dan kita cuba selindungi atau kawal sebenarnya mengerakkan aksi dan tindakan. Bicara hati dalaman adalah faktor kuasa bagi apa saja ditutur dan di gerak lakukan.

Jika kita didalam keadaan set minda yang positif, keyakinan kita menampakkan riak wajah yang ceria. Jika sebaliknya negatif, adalah amat susah bagi kita menyorok perasaan ini daripada diketahui oleh mereka yang kita pimpin dan pupuk.

Tunggul di BSGE !

' Everything that irritates us about others can lead us to an understanding about ourselves'

Carl Jung

Kadangkala adalah susah untuk melihat diri didalam cermin. Ahli saikologi akan berkata kita akan merasa sakit hati dengan orang lain apabila mereka melakukan yang sama juga dengan menampakkan kelemahan kita juga.  Jadi lain kali kita melihat orang lain melakukan jua dan menambahkan sakit nya hati, ini menunjukkan kelemahan diri kita juga.

Secara tanpa disedari, mekanisma pertahan diri dari melihatkan kelemahan itu adalah dengan buat tak peduli dan tak payah berkata kata mengenai mereka.. Tapi, secara ikhlasnya, menghargai perangai sebegini samada baik atau tidak kepada orang lain boleh membantu semua, awak dan saya akhirnya... Apakah dia sikap sikap yang menjana saja kemarahan kita bersama ? Tindak balas seharus dan sebaik baiknya selari jua.

Perhimpunan bulan Februari 2008

Pagi ini jam 8.30am, 18 Februari, 2008 berlangsungnya perhimpunan kedua bagi tahun ini, juga kedua buat Dato' KP yang baru. Dicatitkan ringkasan daripada perhimpunan tersebut buat ingatan dan rekod saya, dan anda jika tidak kesempatan hadir. Dua lagu dinyanyikan tanpa koir kerana ramai tiada kerana berkursus induksi. Lagu pertama 'Perkhidmatan Awam' dinyanyikan dengan penuh semangat manakala lagu kedua 'Cemerlang JPS' hanya muzik didendangkan dan tiada suara dikeluarkan oleh setiap ahli perhimpunan...ini kena fikir fikirlah sebabnya. Diantara 'point' dibawah ini yang disenaraikan mengikut ingatan saya..tiada catatan dibuat kerana saya hanya menguji ingatan sendiri, dirumuskan seperti berikut;

• KP mula dengan ucap selamat tahun baru "Kong Xi Fa Cai" kepada semua warga tionghua, dan memaklumkan dan berterima kasih kepada Y. Bhg. Dato' Ong kerana sudi menyediakan satu jamuan tahun baru utk semua yang hadir pagi ini.
  
• KP juga menyampaikan ucapan takziah diatas pemergian seorang isteri kepada pegawai NAHRIM Tuan Hj Ahmad Jamaludin dan bersama semua ahli perhimpunan bertafakkur dan membacakan 'AlFatehah'
  
• Beliau menyatakan dua pegawai utama atasan sedang mengikuti kursus JUSA selama empat minggu dan beliau juga akan ke Florida USA seminggu dan menamakan penganti semasa pegawai pegawai berkursus dan semasa ketiadaan beliau nanti. Beliau menamakan Pengarah BTB menanggung TKP1 dan KP manakala Pengarah HTC menanggung tugas Pengarah Sungai.
  
• Beliau juga menyatakan perhimpunan bulanan ini satu wadah setiap bulan bagi mengimbas pencapaian sebulan yang lalu dan merenung perancangan bulan akan datang, ianya satu renungan bersama yang perlu disampaikan kepada semua kakitangan.
  
• Beliau memaklumkan peranan utama JPS adalah menanggani permasaalahan banjir, ianya sudah menjadi keutamaan utama pihak kerajaan dan ini sudah menjadi keperluan pihak kementerian juga, satu mesyuarat dan sessi penerangan mengenai justifikasi pengisian, tambahan jawatan serta 'Capacity' Jabatan akan dibawa kepada panel dipengerusikan oleh KSU selepas perhimpunan ini.
  
• Setiap bahagian mestilah ada satu unit teknikal rekabentuk, sedikit sebanyak membantu setiap pegawai memahirkan kepakaran asas ini sebelum mereka dibenarkan bertukar ke bahagian lain.
  
• Hubungan komunikasi melalui "PA System" akan dilaksanakan bagi tujuan komunikasi dalaman diantara bahagian bahagian akan dilaksanakan.
  

Berdiplomasi menjana Kualiti

Didalam menjalankan tugas harian, kita tidak dapat mengelakkan diri daripada berinteraksi dengan rakan sejawat, pegawai bawahan dan atasan. Masing2 membawa peranan dan keadaan perasaan ketika berhubungan. Pentas mesyuarat biasalah tempat semua berhubungan dengan satu agenda dan bermacam macam perkara dibangkitkan, dibincangkan, rumusan dan arahan arahan diberikan. Suasana begini kadangkala menempuh dugaan melawan perasaan dan emosi mendengar hujah dan idea daripada semua ahli ahli mesyuarat yang hadir...diplomasi dan protokol kadangkala lupa dek gangguan emosi didalam bersuara, jika perkara perkara yang baik baik diperkatakan maka cerialah air muka dan jikalau arahan menyentuh tatakelakuan diperkatakan maka jaga lah perasaan sesiapa saja yang akan tertekaan, begitukan keadaan semua orang yang berada didalam mesyuarat2 begini.

Anyone can blame;

It takes a specialist to praise.

Konstantin Stanislavsky

Kadangkala berlaku kesalahan, setiap orang melakukan kesilapan. Apabila berlaku sedemikian, adalah menjadi lumrah untuk kita mencari punca punca sebab disebalik berlaku perkara tersebut. Memang senang mencari kesilapan dan menunjuk kesalahan orang tetapi bagi seorang pemimpin yang efektif tahu akan peluang yang dipelajari dengan produktifnya keatas kesalahan seperti ini.

Daripada membuang tenaga bercakap dengan nada marah keatas sesuatu kesilapan, carilah cara cara yang lebih positif, walaupun berkata mengenai sesuatu keburukan dengan nada lembut, berdiplomasi dan dengan senyuman manis, banyak perkara dapat diselesaikan dengan hati yang sejuk..

Pandanglah kepada perkara perkara yang memuji sumber insan yang mempunyai jiwa dan hati didalam memperbaiki kelemahan kita. "Stay positive and praise freely". Ramai malah semuanya akan bekerja keras and lebih lama dan mempunyai perasaan selamat dan seterusnya akan cekal dalam memperbaiki kelemahan dan kesilapan.

Penyelaras Q dan Gendang Kosong

Hasrat bagi mencadangkan penubuhan Jawatankuasa Petugas Q bagi BSGE sudah dibawa melalui kertas cadangan yang saya buat dan siapkan pada 20 Disember 2007 dahulu pada mesyuarat Pembangunan dan Pengurusan BSGE Bil. 1/2008 hari ini 13 Februari, 2007. Pengerusi Mesyuarat bersetuju namun perlu lebih masa memperjelaskan isi kandungan kertas tersebut kerana keseluruhan ahli kurang faham. Proses memikirkan dan menulis idea penubuhan saya jalankan melalui tulisan didalam blog ini (lihat Blog Archive bulan November dan Disember 2007) dan dibuka kepada semua untuk memberikan idea dan input. Adalah diingatkan bahawa perlantikan penyelaras Q dilantik kerana ramai ahli ahli mesyuarat berdiam diri dan cuba menjauhi bagi dilantik, mungkin tugas sebegini tidak memberikan 'credit' yang baik dan amat leceh untuk dilakukan. Saya lah yang telah dilantik diatas arahan mesyuarat juga mungkin tiada maklumbalas positif dari ahli ahli yang lain. Saya pun seperti juga yang lainnya tidak lah begitu arif tentang bidang kualiti ini dan memerlukan input pembelajaran dan semangat dan bantuan daripada semua ahli ahli mesyuarat. Saya sudah menyediakan kertas cadangan ini dua bulan sudah pada 20 Disember, 2007 melalui blog ini dan sudah meminta semua warga bsge memberikan ulasan dan komen yang sepatutnya melalui email...namun tidak satu pun yang berkata kata apapun bagi mengulas atau memberikan pandangan mereka. Saya berbuat demikian agar ramai diantara warga bsge memberikan pandangan supaya apabila Kertas ini dicadangkan tidak lah seperti ' Apabila rumah siap kita tidak mahu pahat dan penukul berbunyi ', tapi apa yang terjadi sudah pun diduga...apabila dibawa ke mesyuarat maka gendang kosong pun dipalu.... ada je yang tak kena, mereka ini dulu menikus takut dilantik dan cuba mengelakkan diri dari dilantik sebagai penyelas Q.. Entah lah ! Apabila cadangan kertas dikemukakan tiba tiba ada pula ahli yang banyak bercakap dan menjadi 'champion' konon pandangan dia lah yang betul...mungkin dah menjadi budaya orang orang sebegini...ditegur tak boleh diajar mereka lah yang pandai !

Janganlah macam ayam jantan..berkokok je kuat, tapi tengok ekor dia..

"Empty barrels make the most noise"

E.M. Wright

The old saying, " The squeky wheel gets the grease", is a formula for misspending your precious time, energy and effort as a Penyelaras Q. The people in your office who make the most commotion are not always the ones who provide the greatest return on your investment of attention..Deal with the squeky wheels, but be sure to acknowledge the silent champions who sustain you without complaint.

Public Delivery System : The big mindset challenge

By; Chandra Muzaffar Kuala Lumpur.

YOUR report "The civil service and the public delivery system" (New Sunday Times, Feb 3) shows that significant progress has been made in the last two to three years in reducing bureaucratic red tape.
Some of the tangible improvements in frontline services observed, such as two hours to apply for a new passport and three hours to renew one's passport; 14 to 30 days to get a refund for overpaid income tax; and 15 minutes to renew a business licence are achievements which members of the public would be able to attest to.Chief Secretary to the Government Tan Sri Sidek Hassan, one of the most dynamic and competent civil servants I have known, has been at the forefront of this endeavour to create a more efficient public delivery system. A handful of other committed civil servants, such as the director-general of the Immigration Department, Datuk Wahid Mohd Don, and the chief executive officer and director-general of the Inland Revenue Board, Datuk Hasmah Abdullah, also deserve to be commended. They see themselves as helping Prime Minister Abdullah Ahmad Badawi to fulfil the pledge he made to reduce red tape when he assumed office on Oct 31, 2003.
Of course, a lot more has to be done. The challenge is to transform the mindset of a substantial segment of a 1.2-million strong civil service sector so that efficiency and excellence become overriding norms in the work culture of Malaysian civil servants. By continuing to remove bureaucratic bottlenecks, by streamlining procedures and by putting new technologies to productive use, it is likely the civil service will perform better in the future. At the same time, competent individuals should be appointed and promoted while firm action should be taken against the incompetent ones. There should also be effective monitoring and supervision. Most of all, the top brass in the civil service should set the right example by adhering to the highest standards of integrity. This brings us to three other challenges that confront the civil service.One, the fight against corruption within the bureaucracy should continue with greater vigour. In the last three years, there has been more earnestness in combating this scourge than in the past, as evidenced by the increase in convictions against corrupt civil servants. Two, the government should intensify efforts to narrow the remuneration gap between the lower and upper echelons of the civil service. Here again, a start has been made through the biggest ever hike in salaries for the lower echelons -- in proportional terms -- in July last year. Three, the promise made by the prime minister, Deputy Prime Minister Datuk Seri Najib Razak and the chief secretary to recruit and promote more non-Malays in the civil service with the laudable aim of evolving a genuinely multi-ethnic sector should be translated into concrete measures.In fact, last year, some preliminary steps were already taken. The educated stratum of society should show some understanding and appreciation of all these efforts to transform the image of the civil service and to enhance the public delivery system. While individuals and groups within this stratum have made a significant contribution to the nation by exposing the many flaws within the civil service, there has been some reluctance on their part to acknowledge some of the positive changes that have taken place in recent times. It is only when one undertakes to do both -- criticise wrongdoings and, at the same time, commend good work -- that civil servants will be motivated to improve their performance. It is incumbent upon us to adopt a balanced and rational approach towards the civil service which weighs both its pros and cons if we want a more effective public delivery system.

from the NST Online; 5/02/2008

Moving into the realm of best practices

The man who oversees the largest group of personnel in the country has made promises few would dare to make: telephone calls answered by the third ring, payments made within 14 days, queries answered within three working days and an end to the government red tape runaround we’ve all had to surrender our sanity to. ANIZA DAMIS and ELIZABETH JOHN speak to Chief Secretary to the Government Tan Sri Mohd Sidek Hassan about the civil service, and the brisk pace he sets for it.

Q: The promises that you've made are very daring, because you are making promises on behalf of the 1.2 million civil servants. What makes you confident that your promises will come through?

A: I have a lot of confidence in all the people being fair to me. But I need all the support I can get. Because the intention is to improve.I made the announcement but the commitment is from all of us. None of them said: "This is lousy." They said: "This is a good idea; we want to change."  This is their commitment, too, because however good someone is, there is no way that he can do it alone. 

Q: So, the announcement that you have made is based on strong trust that everyone would do his job? 

A: Yes. But, I'm not going to pretend that all is going to be perfect. I'm pretty sure that out of the 1.2 million, not every one of them will be putting all his weight to the task.We should be proud of what we are. And I believe we in the public service are proud. For example, when the prime minister acknowledged that the public service had improved, we were proud. We are proud of the service we give, and we think there is a real improvement, not just a perception, but a real thing. 

For instance, you can make a passport very quickly, and when you go to the government offices, people are smiling. And when you promise payment within 14 days and people are paid within 14 days or even five to seven days, people appreciate that, and you want to improve further.I believe the morale is good right now.

Q: What was the problem last time? Why was there such a delay? 

A: I think people should work to meet a deadline.  Imagine if you don't have a deadline. You feel like doing, you do lah. You don't feel like doing, you don't do. You can't do that.So, we are trying to acculturate the civil service to that -- working to meet a deadline. You must do your best. You must take pride in your job.

Just like when I answered my phone just now. You must respond fast. And if you cannot respond, you must explain why.The telephone is but one example, but the principle applies to everything. You do it fast, and if you cannot do it, then you must explain why. And thirdly, you should call back.

All of us must be like this. Everyone must move in tandem. And there must be pride in the work.

Q: Do you get any complaints at all about rude or indifferent staff?

A: Ada (there are complaints). When there are 1.2 million civil servants, surely there'd be times, even for me. If you catch me on the wrong side of the bed, don't you think I'd scold you? Of course, I would! What more when you have 1.2 million staff. But, generally, things have to be good. Generally, the civil service has to be good. That's the point, to get everybody to behave.

Q: How are you trying to achieve this? 

A: You have to lead by example.And when people like you write good things about us, don't you think that civil servants will respond to that positive feedback by maintaining that level of service, or improving on it? I think they would.It is because we feel appreciated. It doesn't matter whether you give us more pay or not. The pride in doing a good job is itself a motivation.

Q: Do you think this motivation is going to attract a better quality of staff? 

A: Yes. As of now, there are more applicants than posts.And they are of good quality. But it is only at the point of entry.I am sure many of us are enamoured of graduates from MIT (Massachusetts Institute of Technology), Harvard, Oxford or Cambridge, or people with First Class Honours and all those things.But that's only good as a first point of entry. Because after that, no amount of Harvard training can help you.So, we have a good crop of applicants. But, more important is to make sure that the people we recruit to join us are trained to be the way we want them to be.How do you McDonald-ise them? How do you get the same consistently good service everywhere?It's the training. And the manual.All the different sectors have their training institutions. All this is supposed to be building that culture.

So, beyond just attracting the best to join, the training is important.But beyond training, because you can only train a person for six months or one year at the most, it is on the job itself that this person will learn. Mentoring by the bosses and peers, and people like you (reporters) not abusing them so much, will really help them.

Q: How are you going to retain the best talent? 

A: What is the reason people stay? Satisfaction, challenge. And we have improved the salary.When people like you appreciate us, that is satisfying.And we ourselves know it -- that we can make payment in 14 days.In December 2007, alone, 96.9 per cent of payments by federal ministries and agencies amounting to RM8.455 billion were made in 14 days, and 70.4 per cent of the amounts paid were made in seven days.

Q: So, everyone must be really happy. 

A: I would say so.The same standard must be applied to all. It's easy that way.

The same thing about payment. Treat others the way you would like to be treated.

How would you like to be paid? How would you like to be treated? You want to be paid fast; you want to be served fast.So, when it's your time to serve, please serve fast. And if you can't do it, then please tell why you can't do it. And please tell nicely, lah.

Q: Has the one-stop-centre changed people's view of local government?

A: Datuk Fuad (Datuk Ahmad Fuad Ismail, Housing and Local Government Ministry secretary-general) tells me it's working well.But what is government to you, what is public service to you? It's the local authorities.They are the largest form of government -- not the federal government, nor the state government. So, it's very important they give good service.

Q: Since local government is so big, is it difficult to modernise and change attitudes? 

A: What are the issues at local authority level? Cleaning drains, collecting garbage -- easy, isn't it?But it can also be the most difficult thing, when people refuse to work.So to answer your question: Yes, it is very difficult because there are so many of them. Yes, it is difficult if you choose not to do it.

But no, it's easy, because those are easy issues. When someone asks you to clean the drain, you clean it! Because that's what you're paid to do.Even payment, you know. What's so difficult about making payment in 14 days? But I must admit, a few of them will still fall through the cracks. But I promise you, if you come to me, or email me, I promise you it will be cleared within 24 hours.

Q: So what's the consequence now for a civil servant who doesn't measure up? Doesn't do the job?

A: What do you think?

Q: Isn't it the case that once the Public Service Department hires you, it's pretty much impossible to fire you? 

A: You cannot simply fire anybody. It depends on the offence.

It's very clear. You must follow the rules. The problem is, perhaps, in the past, you didn't follow the rules.

Q: If secretaries-general on contract don't perform, will they get a renewal?

A: There are rewards and punishment.If you perform you get a reward, if you don't perform you get punished. The rule is already there. The question is whether you are enforcing or not. You must implement the rules. You must monitor, and then you must enforce -- on any subject.

Q: Has action been taken against anyone who hasn't performed? 

A: Yes. I don't have the number here but I'm sure it has come out before.

Why are you only interested in blood?

Q: Because, there's the incentive to do well, that's the carrot. What about the stick? 

A: Of course, there is a stick. If they are found to be corrupt and charged, that is action. That means, while awaiting the decision of the court, he would have been suspended. If the charge is proven, then we sack him. Some who didn't perform didn't get a pay rise. And some even got demoted.

I want to be fair. The integrity of the system depends on fairness.

You must be especially fair when you punish, because when you punish unfairly, it's a bad thing and quite difficult to get out of.

But after some time, you don't have to punish any more because they don't do it.

The fear itself is enough to discourage people from doing it.

Q: What is the value of Pemudah (Special Task Force to Facilitate Business)? 

A: What is important about it is the idea of close collaboration.

Consultation should begin at home. Because, however good you are, you aren’t good enough on your own. Two heads are better than one.

Pemudah is about consultation and the consultative process between the government and the private sector.

It’s mostly to handle issues in the corporate sector but it is not necessarily confined to that. More and more now, Pemudah is taking on others issues. Not just pure business issues.

For instance, traffic and security.

What has security to do with business? If you are an investor, you’d like to feel secure. So, new issues have arisen.

This idea of interaction must go beyond the private sector, to your customers.

For example, if you are in a local authority, you must consult the people in your area. But having said that, if you go to the Pemudah website, you can ask any question and Pemudah will direct the issues to the relevant department.

That’s what we mean by the “No Wrong Door” policy.

That notion of no-wrong door doesn’t only apply to Pemudah, but also any government department.

Even in my office, if I don’t pick up the phone, someone else must pick it up.

Q: You advised civil servants to stop wasting their time on politics? Do you have that problem?

A: Did I say that?

I think what I meant was, like with children who want to watch TV, you can. Go ahead. But what is your core business? It is to focus on your studies.

What is your core business? Government servant? So, focus on it.

If you are in the business of cleaning drains, clean the drains.

If you are in the business of collecting the garbage, please collect the garbage.

If you did things last night and it affects your collecting the garbage this morning, that is not acceptable.

Did I say you cannot enter politics?

Follow the rules, whatever they are.

Q: How do you intend to achieve ethnic diversity in government service?

A: The public service is about merit.

How do you define merit? Whoever is the best.

Q: So why is it that the public service, at the moment, seems to be mono-ethnic?

A: I don’t know, search me.

I think for far too long our society has been so biased.

We are gender blind and colour blind. We go for the best.

So if the best happens to be all women, does it matter to me? So long as they all don’t go on maternity leave at the same time, lah.

Or if all of them happen to be Chinese and they are the best, the most deserving, does it matter to me?

Or all of them happen to be Indian, does it matter to me or to you?

When you have a serious illness and you need an operation, do you insist on a Malay or a Muslim doctor?

I don’t care. I want the best doctor. The best surgeon

So does it matter? It doesn’t. It really does not.

For example, the KSN (chief secretary to the government). Must you insist on having a Malay KSN for Malays and an Indian KSN for Indians? No.

You want a KSN who is fair. And how many times have you heard me say the word fair today?

He has to be fair and based on merit and all that.

Therefore, it doesn’t matter what colour you are so long as you are being fair.

Q: So that means any Malaysian can apply, and as long as that person is well-qualified, he will get the job and not get any flack for being different?

A: Yes. Ad nauseum I say that. Until I get fed up sometimes. Just saying it to different people but the message is the same. It’s a merit-based public service.

Q: That’s at the entry-level. What about promotions?

A: Yes. Didn’t I say the same thing just now? KSN or sec-gen or whatever.

Q: What is your message to young people who are thinking of joining the civil service?

A: Do you know my youngest child who is now in Form Four wants to join the public service. Only one!

But I told him: “It’s not the money lah.”

And I keep telling people that when I was 40, I was only drawing about RM4,500. 

My friend, who joined the private sector, who was my classmate from primary school and went to the same college, same faculty of economics — when he was 40, he became the general manager of IBM Malaysia, earning RM40,000 at that time. But I didn’t care. I enjoyed my work.

Of course, I never dreamed I would be secretary-general of a ministry, let alone the chief secretary!

That’s why this is a calling.

So, I keep telling young people that it’s not for the money.

If you want it for the money, the public service is not the place. Forget it. It’s not.

Q: It’s not going to be an easy job either?

A: It’s easy for me. Depends on the person.

But they shouldn’t assume they are going to have an easy time.

‘EMAILS ARE MY LOVE LETTERS, WHY LET OTHERS READ THEM?’

Q: Since giving out your email address (sidek@pmo.gov.my) to the public, have you gotten a lot of email?

A: I get less now.

Q: What? 

A: Yes. Initially, I got a lot of emails -- in the hundreds, I think.

So, what I did was, I sent one "thank you" to the guy or girl who wrote to me, and one "thank you" to the officer I CCed for taking the matter up. 

After that, everyone (department heads) gave out his email addresses, so I got less.

But, you must really respond. To respond does not mean writing back "I have received your email" -- that's not responding, that's acknowledging.

So, you must follow the matter through to the end.

And if you cannot do it, just tell why.

Obviously if people ask for RM20 million from me, I'm not going to agree, and I'll tell them why -- because I didn't even give that to my grandmother!

You must explain.

Q: What kind of things do people ask for? 

A: Sometimes, they ask for petty things. These things may be petty to us, but not to them.

For example, if you live in Selayang, and because it's Hari Raya Haji your drains don't get cleaned, your garbage doesn't get collected, you'll get angry, right? 

It may be very minor to the person receiving the complaints, but to you it's very smelly.

I have a group of special officers. When I want to forward something, I sometimes don't even have time to specify who among the five has to deal with the matter, so I address it to all of them. 

And, they will decide who among them will handle it because they have an understanding among themselves on who is supposed to do what.

This is what the prime minister was talking about -- this is electronic government.

Q: So, our readers will know that if they email you, you yourself will read it? It won't be vetted first? 

A: I read the emails on my Blackberry and 02 (personal digital assistant). They are my love letters, why should I let anybody else read them? 

Actually, I like reading the emails. I read the emails as and when they come in.

I was with the PM in Sabah, in a boat. While he was talking to the chief minister of Sabah, I was attending to my email. Isn't that how it's supposed to be?

Actually, I'm excited about getting email. This is like a phone call --an email is a phone call. Do you let your phone ring and ring?

Q: Do you clear your email everyday? 

A: Yes. At 11 o'clock at night, and when I'm travelling.

This is the "modern technology" that the PM is talking about.

This is my office (lifting up the Blackberry). It's a virtual office. You don't have to be at your desk to do your work. You don't have to be in your room to do your work.

This is all 19th century (pointing around the office). The office of the 21st century is about the virtual office.

This is the concept the government wants everyone to have.

Except, I suppose, if you need to clean the longkang, then you have to clean the particular drain, lah. Don't say: "I'm going to clean it virtually."