Leveraging the Public Service in the Age of Globalisation

"Civil Servants need to develop new skills and know-how to serve the people… Civil servants need to have a better grasp of the new economy and strive for better connectivity." - Chief Minister -

YAB Chief Minister Datuk Patinggi Tan Sri (Dr) Haji Abdul Taib Mahmud commended the State Secretary and the State leaders for their foresight of the new societal conditions brought about by globalisation. He also expressed his hopes and aspirations for the civil servants as he officiated at the 2nd Public Service Conference 2001 in Kuching on October 26-27.

"To isolate oneself from globalisation is to stop development ... " says the Chief Minister

In his keynote address, the Chief Minister encouraged civil servants to be more proactive in serving the people. “Civil servants need to equip themselves with the skills in consonance with the rapidly changing environment as the needs of the people they serve are now very much different to those of yesteryears.” He also mentioned that in the process of creating a knowledgeable society, we are also creating a new type of order in the society. The Chief Minister also focused on the need for a better grasp of the new economy and greater connectivity with the world as well as of new doctrines for the public sector.

The State Secretary Datuk Amar Haji Abdul Aziz Haji Husain had a similar message. In his welcoming remarks, he greatly emphasized on the need to have a visionary civil service, correct values, principles and competence at all levels of the public sector. “We must change ourselves first and the time is now” was the challenge he posed to the participants.

About 350 civil servants attended the two-day conference which centered on the theme Leveraging the Public Service in the Age of Globalisation. Speakers from Malaysia, New Zealand, Australia, Taiwan and the United States of America shared their knowledge and expertise on the theme.

Proof of their hard work. Representating the 9 agencies (L-R) En Hillary Mukit, En Henry Ginjom, Y.Bhg Datu Dr Hatta Solhee, En Ubaidillah Abd Latip, Tn Hj Sulaiman Husaini, En Abg Kiprawi Abg Rosli, En Watt Lanyau, En Edward Sadai Anja and En Leonard Umbie

The Chief Minister later witnessed the handing over of certificates to representatives of the nine agencies which received their MS ISO certification recently.

The nine agencies were General Administration and Human Resource Management Division of the State Secretary Office , Kuching Resident Office, Limbang Resident Office, Kuching District Office , Bau District Office, Lundu District Office, Lawas District Office, Limbang District Office and the Saratok District.

The conference was jointly organised by the Centre for Modern Management, Human Resource Development and Quality Unit of the Chief Minister’s Department and the Sarawak Development Institute (SDI). Among the papers presented were

• Globalisation and the Nation-State by Ybhg. Dato’ Mohamed Jawhar Hassan of the Institute of Strategic and International Studies (ISIS)

• Global Governance: The Fundamental Roles of the Public Service in Enhancing a Civil Society by YB Datuk Amar Haji Abdul Aziz Haji Husain

• Globalisation and Environment: Issues and Challenges by YB Dr James Dawos Mamit