PUTRAJAYA: In his first monthly address to staff of the Prime Minister's Department, Tan Sri Muhyiddin Yassin urged civil servants not to let bureaucracy affect the government's Covid-19 recovery plans.
According to the Prime Minister, the government will re-evaluate its decision-making procedures at all levels.
"Previously, we would take a month to resolve certain issues or give approvals for certain requests (by the public). But given the current situation, such a time frame to settle problems can't be applied anymore.
"We are in a critical time. Malaysia has managed to recover faster than other countries and we don't want countries that are left behind (now) to overtake us.
"Do not let bureaucracy and administrative problems halt our efforts for recovery," he said in his speech, attended by all ministers in the Prime Minister's Department, as well as representatives from 56 government agencies.
This was Muhyiddin's first monthly assembly with his department since assuming office on March 1 amidst the Covid-19 outbreak.
He said the Chief Secretary to the Government, Datuk Seri Mohd Zuki Ali, will be leading efforts to help government agencies serve the people better; and bring the country's economy back on track.
At the moment, Muhyiddin said civil servants are facing difficulties providing services to the rakyat due to the pandemic, which is crippling many economic sectors.
Muhyiddin said practices employed by civil servants prior to Covid-19 can no longer be used, and improvements are needed to ensure that any issues raised, especially those involving audits, can be formally resolved.
"Therefore, to ensure that we can return to the way we were in this new normal, we need to be more organised and require cooperation from all, because we (the government) are the largest service provider in our country.
"Our services are needed by all quarters, including the affected economic sectors, and our role is to facilitate, not to frustrate," he said.