WITH the impending retirement of Tan Sri Dr Ali Hamsa, speculation is rife as to who will succeed him.
The choice of a successor will depend, among other things, on the suitability of the candidate in discharging the onerous role and responsibilities of the high office of the chief secretary to the government, or KSN, the Malay acronym.
The post is a much coveted one. Most senior public servants aspire to it not only for the prestige and monetary rewards it bestows on the office bearer. The position also offers a golden opportunity to an incumbent to spearhead substantive improvements to public services and thereby leave behind a lasting legacy. It is also the apogee of an illustrious public-service career.
The KSN’s role is a crucial one as it straddles the political-administrative divide. Akin to a tight-rope walker, the post requires a delicate balancing act between political impartiality and alliance with the political executive. In serving the political executive, the KSN should not be seen compromising the integrity and political neutrality of the public service. The post should not be so politicised that the KSN is seen to be partisan to the incumbent prime minister. Otherwise he may be unwelcome or unacceptable to the optics of an incoming government.
As the highest-ranking officer of the public service, the KSN wears many hats. As cabinet secretary, he is the lynchpin between the political executive and the public service. He is the principal channel of communication between the two institutions. In that capacity, he plays a significant role in ensuring that public administration is aligned to the strategic goals of the executive while the latter is made cognisant of the administrative capacity in delivering the government agenda.
As cabinet secretary, the KSN advises the cabinet on draft policies and decisions, especially of their administrative implications and viability. His administrative knowledge and experience carry much heft. These qualities not only help the KSN facilitate cabinet decision-making, they may even influence policy choices.
Upon cabinet approval, the KSN wears the hat of an implementer. He marshals the public service for executing those decisions. And, in the course of execution, he reports progress to the cabinet.
To discharge his functions as cabinet secretary effectively, the KSN helms the prime minister’s department — the biggest ministry in the public service. The prime minister’s department not only serves the office of the prime minister and the cabinet, but also oversees the administration of the public service.
Regular meetings with ministry heads enables the KSN to ensure smooth coordination across the administrative machinery. The forum also offers him a good opportunity to resolve inter-ministry disputes.
It behoves, therefore, that the KSN has a well-oiled administrative machinery where the best talents lead ministries and departments. As such, he oversees appointments, transfers and promotion of senior officers. As its leader, the KSN keeps afloat the discipline, motivation and morale of the public service while charting its strategic direction. He also has the demanding remit of making the public service tech-savvy, customer-centric and future-ready.
Given the considerable responsibility in managing the affairs of the state, it is important therefore that Ali’s successor is made with great care. If past appointments are an indication, the appointee will probably be one from among the department heads. He will have risen through the ranks of the public service, especially that of the administrative and diplomatic service — the elite service that runs the country’s public administration. He will have worked his way across the bureaucracy. Therefore, he will be knowledgeable of its rules, regulations and processes. He will have the institutional knowledge to be conversant with the public service culture. He will therefore be in good stead to effect a renaissance in public management that is expected by the new government.
He need not be the most senior person by service. Suffice that he is selected on merit while being senior enough to possess integrity, outstanding ability and vast experience. These qualities are essential if he is to command the respect and confidence of not only the prime minister, but also the cabinet, and service heads of all other public services.
That respect and confidence are also premised on the knowledge that the appointee shares the political executive’s vision for the nation, will advise without fear or favour, and deliver the outcomes expected from public policies.
This laundry list of the qualities required of a good KSN might seem like a tall order. But, given the demands of the job, these are the criteria that should invariably be employed in selecting the right candidate.
We feel a bit heretical in saying this, but the selection process could be made easier by inviting applications for the post from the senior echelons of the public service. The prime minister and the cabinet could then review the applicants’ profiles, shortlist the eligible ones and decide on the most appropriate candidate after a few rounds of interviews.
Such a recruitment is novel by the standards of Malaysia’s public administration. But, demanding times necessitate innovative solutions to get a man of sufficient gravitas to steer the public service.
The writer is a former public servant, is a principal fellow at the Graduate School of Business, Universiti Kebangsaan Malaysia
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