Part Seven:

Evaluation, Feedback And Impact: Towards Creating A New Breed Of Government Administrators And Managers

Residents, Divisional Development Officers (now Deputy Residents) and Sarawak Administrative Officers (SAOs or Kunsils) are the most known and visibly seen of government officers at the ground levels i.e. at the Divisional, District, Sub-district and village (kampongs and longhouses) levels. Within the ambit of their traditional roles as administrators (both in general and public administration), magistrates and counselors, it is almost impossible to imagine Sarawak’s administration, and especially in rural areas, without them. They are the bastions and icons of the State Civil Service, so to speak. They are seen as ‘perintah’ or the government to the rural folks, even though we know that government in a liberal democracy has to start from the process of an election. While the institution of the R&DOs continue on, it is also significant to mention that their roles have changed, evolved and revolved over the years. Today they are also development administrators and development managers although such roles are not necessarily lucidly spelt out. The variegated roles are to be known, understood and to be duly executed by them.

All these lead to a key issue that this commentary wants to focus: in executing these roles and functions, it is apt to ask what skills they would need so as to perform these tasks efficiently and effectively, and to evaluate each role as these are obviously related to the skills.

If we are to examine their past core roles, these can be categorized as administrative, statutory and protocol in nature. The skills and training needed would cover public administration, politics and policy sciences, law and general management. A dose of economics, finance, development and planning, sociology and anthropology would be advantageous. Of course IT/ICT would be of added value. With the new demand of development and development administration, it is even more imperative that the administrative officer proesses knowledge of development and development studies, economics and statistics, project planning monitoring and evaluation, including policy sciences, and general management. In future, it is foreseen that their roles would encapsulate entrepreneurial skills, which amongst others, calls for a proactive (rather than reactive) mindset, being innovative and, always takes initiatives. In this context, knowledge of business and finance would be instrumental. And of course it is expected that these officers need to be mindful and conversant with administrative and financial governance.

The message that we intend to drive home here is that the traditionalist approach to administration and management in the State Civil Service (given its development oriented roles and responsibilities) has to give way to a newer approach in our effort to develop the State. It requires the transformation of the service that has been the beck and call of our leaders. While we are aware that we need to review and re-engineer our work procedures and processes, we must also take cognizance of the changing, evolving and revolving roles, for which we must acquire and equip ourselves with multiple skills and expertise. To reiterate, the training must not only focus merely on managerial skills. It is now incumbent for the new breed of government administrators and managers to be adequately trained in the disciplines that have been identified at the outset, and for the training provider to be sensitive and responsive to these needs when reviewing and planning their Training Needs Analysis (TNAs).

Let us now come back and reflect at what we mean by changing, evolving and revolving roles. The idea here is to portray the depth and range of skills and knowledge that the officer would need in order to perform his task. Using the District Officer’s role as an example, we note the following traditional roles:

Administrative Function

Being the chief executive of the District, he is the Chief Administrator and thus must ensure that District and sub-district administration is efficiently and effectively executed. He administers his resources (staff and funds), his time and his work. As a leader, he leads, directs, executes, monitors and evaluates.

Statutory Function

Certain Acts and Ordinances give power and authority to officers to execute legal duties in their official capacity (ex-officio). Thus a District Officer is also a Licensing Officer under the Arms Act. He is also a Power of Attorney and the Commissioner of Oaths under the Statutory Declarations Act.

Protocol Function and Events Manager

As there will be regular visits of leaders and dignitaries, it is not uncommon that the protocol function may also take a certain, if not, considerable portion of his time. With these visits will come the management of events and activities, logistics and people. Thus, if and when official functions or official visits are made and require the presence of leaders and dignitaries within the District and Sub-District like Ketua Masyarakat and the rakyat it is the DO and SAO who will be responsible to invite them.

Social Development, Social and Socializing Function

Another function that also needs to be performed particularly at the ground level is one that relates to social development, social and socializing function. While economic and development activities are being implemented by the other departments and agencies within the District and Sub-District, the social development, social and socializing function also need to be executed. He is expected to mix and mingle with the local populace and requires him to understand their local customs, adat and traditions.

These are the traditional roles. We shall now focus on what we see as the new, challenging and glamorous roles of the District Officer: that of a development planner, project director or manager, and a resident project officer for his District.

DO as a District Development Planner

A DO can play and perform the role of a development planner and contribute in performing a macro planning function for his district. He can start by collecting, compiling, generating, collating and analysing socio-economic data and information about his District. These data and information are not hard to obtain and should include the size of the district and sub-districts, the population and demographic information, resource endowment like land use under agriculture, forestry, industry and many other activities. Other important data cover employment and occupation, production and productivity, physical and social infrastructure. These information are very useful for planning. Such information can provide the benchmark for forecasting and formulating the District Development Plan.

The DO can also prepare the list of programmes and projects that have been implemented in his District over the years. For example, all programmes and projects implemented during the past Plan (7MP) or planned, approved and scheduled for implementation (8MP) should have been compiled and used as the “District Reference Book”. Equally critical would be for him to ensure that he is in total control of other related information regarding his project list - not only by sectors and allocation but also in terms of costs, financial allocation and budgetary provision.

DO as a Project Director or Project Manager

Currently, the DO has only been known to be the person/officer in charge in implementing Minor Rural Projects (MRPs). On this basis alone and based on his experiences, the DO is in fact already performing the function of a Project Director or Project Manager. In essence what he would need in his development armoury are his project manual or project tools to monitor implementation of the projects, as well as to put up his regular reports (monthly, quarterly or annually). He would need to be conversant with his performance indicators - physical and financial progress, project beneficiaries and other forms of measurements.

In performing the role of project director or project manager in his district, he is not necessarily working alone on his own. He has under his administrative role the district engineer and the full array of technical assistants and support staff, the land officers, the local council staff and whomever he can avail. In this role, he administers and manages. He needs to be an organizer and coordinator of events, tasks and activities. But he can only be effective in his co-ordination work if he is in total command of these tasks and the project activities, especially if he is to get the support, co-operation and understanding of officers from other technical departments. The key words that govern his role here are co-ordination with and co-operation of other players from the other agencies or departments.

DO as the Resident Project Officer

As the ground or resident project officer, the DO being responsible for implementing and completing a project (and on time), within budget, and in accordance with technical performance requirements must be in total command of the following tasks:

• Project Planning

• Project Co-ordination

• Project Staffing and Training

• Project Implementation

• Project Management Control and Reporting

• Project Interfacing or Linkages

• Conflict Management

• Change Management

• Project Financial Management

• Compliance with Procedures

• Project Turnover and Commissioning

In conclusion, we see that the Sarawak Civil Service is now on the path of change. We see that a new breed of administrative officers would emerge, who are well trained and skilled in the various disciplines, being “hands on” and “brains on” in executing their tasks, and are result driven like thoroughbred winners.

Part VIII of this commentary on another topic

will continue