KUALA LUMPUR: The tabling of the Public Service Bill will likely be done during the July parliamentary session as more time is needed to come to an agreement on the “grey areas” governing the relationship between civil servants and the political administration.
Public Service Department director-general Datuk Borhan Dolah said the bill was initially expected to be presented in the current parliamentary session.
“There are still a lot of grey areas that need to be settled, including issues of administrative transgressions.
“We will continue to engage on these issues until everything is cleared.
“There are a lot of things we (the civil servants) together with the government need to harmonise.
“Once they agree to the proposal, only then will we bring it to Parliament. We are looking at the July session,” he told the New Sunday Times.
Borhan said the March 19 meeting was “very fruitful” and that cabinet members had their say on the laws proposed.
He added that the long discussion focused on policies.
He denied any fights or aggressive objections occurred.
Borhan noted that the issue of separation of powers was one of the key points of discussion.
He said suggestions included outlining to what extent the prime minister and ministers “would have a say” and drawing
a line as to what could and could not be “interfered with” by them.
Borhan said this matter needed to be detailed as it involved vital human resources matters such as promotions, appointments of secretaries-general, directors-general and more.
“When it comes to promotion and appointments, at what point can the minister get involved, and what level should we refer to the minister?
“The minister might have his or her own criteria and how the person should be qualified for the job.
“Some agree there should be involvement, while others reject it. And if there was such interference, what would be the penalty.”
Borhan stated that 99 per cent of the Public Service Act focused on civil servants while only one per cent was on their relationship with their stakeholders, namely the political administration, international bodies and non-governmental organisations.
The laws drafted, he said, involved the civil service’s daily operations, working systems and ethics, as well as discipline.