KUALA LUMPUR: The operation of government-linked companies (GLC) will be more effective if different individuals get an equal chance at holding the top posts, says the Congress of Unions of Employees in the Public and Civil Services (Cuepacs).
Cuepacs president Datuk Azih Muda said Prime Minister Tun Dr Mahathir Mohamad’s announcement on not allowing senior government officers to hold more than five GLC posts is a good move as it would eliminate a ‘monopoly’.
“This is the best policy and through this, the portfolios can be divided among different people so that there will be more ideas.
“This will also ensure that it would not centre on the same individual. If various positions are being held by one person, the outcome would be less effective compared to 10 people with 10 different ideas. This will also promote good ethics among government officers,” he told The New Straits Times Press.
Cuepacs deputy president Zainal Ismail echoed the same sentiments and said that the proposal would open opportunities to more people.
“If one person holds too many positions, it will be unfair for others who also deserve the same opportunity,” he said.
Meanwhile, Lembah Pantai Member of Parliament Fahmi Fadzil believed the proposal would ensure that there would not be too many overlapping of functions.
“I hope this will also ensure that the civil servants are able to focus on the job at hand. We will see the results probably in a couple of years in terms of the efficiency of these GLCs and agencies.
“It means that on one hand, people can only hold so many positions but on the flip side, it also means more people can hold some positions.
“This also helps to tackle the issue of, for example, during the tenure of the previous Prime Minister Datuk Seri Najib Razak, where he held many positions and it created a lot of problems in terms of check and balance, transparency and accountability,” he said.
Fahmi said the 1Malaysia Development Bhd (1MDB) issue was a cautionary tale against enabling people to hold too many positions.
“In order to make sure things like this never happen again, one of the key things is to make sure that people do not hold too many positions especially senior civil servants and people who hold position of power.”
Seputeh MCA assistant secretary Chan Quin Er said the move to limit government officers in holding not more than five positions in GLCs is a move in the right direction.
“As a former public servant myself, it is very important that public officers are able to carry out their duties independently. Having all these positions, to some extent, could also affect our ability to act impartially as well,” she said.
Dr Mahathir on Friday had announced that senior government officials would each only be allowed to hold up to five GLC positions. He said that while he did not encourage government officers to hold “between two and three” positions, but such situations could not be avoided.
Dr Mahathir also said one senior government officer in the previous administration was found to have held 68 positions in various GLCs.