PUTRAJAYA: Education Minister Dr Maszlee Malik has shrugged off speculations that his ministry’s secretary-general is one of those on a transfer list, following allegations of leaking government information.
Instead, he said many were interested to become the ministry’s secretary-general and insinuated that the office bearer was often envied by other aspirants.
“This (secretary-general) post is eyed by many and anyone from my ministry is greatly sought after by others,” Maszlee said at the closing ceremony of the 2019 PIBKS Convention.
He said the ministry’s staff were “quite popular” because despite being attached to a huge ministry, they had managed to execute the responsibilities entrusted on them.
It was reported by a news portal that nearly 10 senior officers of various ministries were alleged to have leaked government information and the matter was also raised by several ministers during Cabinet meetings.
Quoting sources, these ministers had applied for their respective secretaries-general or senior officers to be transferred.
These sources claimed that at least eight ministries were facing such an issue.
The ministries mentioned were the Agriculture and Agro-based Ministry, Rural Development Ministry, Tourism, Arts and Culture Ministry, Human Resources Ministry, Education Ministry, Communications and Multimedia Ministry, Works Ministry and Entrepreneur Development Ministry.