Tariq says civil servants are the backbone of the government and are not beholden to any particular party. (Facebook pic)
GEORGE TOWN: Pakatan Harapan (PH) leaders have warned against treating civil servants like “donkeys” in the run-up to the 14th general election (GE14), saying they have the right to choose who they want as the government of the day.
PPBM Supreme Council member Tariq Ismail said civil servants were the backbone of the government and were not beholden to any particular party.
“The government is not Barisan Nasional (BN). It just so happens that BN is the government of the day.
“Civil servants are voters, and scare tactics by forcing them to support you make them look like donkeys. They are not donkeys and they have the right to choose,” he told FMT.
Tariq was asked to comment on remarks by Public Service Department director-general Zainal Rahim Seman, who reportedly said civil servants should discharge their responsibilities as members of the civil service with undivided support for the government and country based on the principles of the pledge of loyalty and integrity when they first joined the service.
Zainal said the “Aku Janji” should serve as a reminder for civil servants to realise at all times that they should remain loyal to the Yang di-Pertuan Agong, the government and the country as required under Regulation 4(1) of the Public officers regulations (Conduct and Discipline) 1993.
Tariq said if PH won in GE14, the civil servants would still have their jobs, their salaries and benefits no matter which party they supported.
As long as they have committed no crime and were not corrupt, he added, their jobs would be safe.
“To the civil servants, I ask that you continue to do what is best for the civil service and the nation by being prudent. I ask that you continue to be guardians of public funds and protect these funds jealously against abuse, misuse, fraud and corruption.
“I implore you to deploy the best governance and financial management practices as a means of protecting not just the public whose funds you hold in trust, but also your own back,” he said.
Saifuddin: When civil servants vote, they are free to vote based on their individual conscience.
Former Umno man and PH chief secretary Saifuddin Abdullah meanwhile pointed out two basic premises: that the civil service served the government of the day, and that civil servants had the right to vote.
“When they vote, they are free to vote based on their individual conscience. This is also basic.
“This guy speaks like a BN leader,” he said, referring to Zainal.
“This is an example of politicising the civil service,” he said, adding that PH offered a genuine transformation programme for the civil service.
Zainal had reportedly said civil servants should appreciate the existing government for the various improvements it had made in the public service sector.
Bernama reported him as saying that the government, under the leadership of Prime Minister Najib Razak, had announced various benefits for civil servants such as salary increases, promotions, implementation of special leave, leave for performing the umrah, maternity leave and the special payment of RM1,500.
He said Malaysia had good planning and policies and had never neglected the transformation of the civil service.
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