Celebrations, Festivities And Public Holidays: Their Meaning And Impact On The Civil Service

We have, in our past editorials, covered subjects like the legislative process and DUN sessions, elections, and the National Day celebrations with a special focus on their meanings, impact and challenges on the Civil Service. These topics can be described as events that will always constitute part and parcel of our government set-up, year in and year out (except for elections). Each event has its own meaning and significance for and to the Civil Service, as it will always involve us to participate, execute and perform duties such as in organizing activities or in executing our administrative and managerial functions, vis-à-vis each event. In a similar vein other topics which would also be of interest to the Civil Service are the celebrations, festivities and the resultant public holidays accompanying them. Examples of these main festivities are the Hari Raya Aidil Fitri (which in recent times have fallen around the end of the year), Christmas, the New Year and Chinese New Year (generally around early February) of the ensuing year. Gawai Dayak being celebrated in the middle of the year in June, gives Sarawakians a mid-year respite from the drudgery of working life, so to speak. In other countries, depending on whether they are in the Northern or Southern hemisphere, the holidays are either coinciding with the winter or summer seasons and very often are associated with holidays and vacations – or times allowed by employers to let their employees take a break from their work or recharge for the challenging work and task of the new year.

Back in our region or country, it needs no reminder that except for the New Year, the other days are in fact associated with religious functions and related traditional observance and the accompanying celebrations. And when these days all fall around the end of the year like a well-planned and calendarised sets of events together with the associated activities, it throws special challenges to us in the way we manage our time and execute our duties accordingly vis-à-vis the holidays that are in place.

In this editorial we intend to look at some of the challenging issues that the Civil Service will have to face and deliberate upon. The most relevant question to ask is what do all these celebrations, festivities and public holidays mean to the Civil Service or civil servants like us? Does it mean that all able-bodied servants should take their holidays or well-deserved breaks so that they can re-energize themselves during these occasions after the year’s hard work, or after the festive occasions? Or does it not mean national or public interests are equally pressing and that we have to ensure that everything is in place – the system is going; the officers and staff are always there to man even though some will be on leave; services are delivered effectively, efficiently and economically; that the public needs will be addressed accordingly? Managing during celebrations, festive occasions and public holidays can pose an interesting set of challenges to the Civil Service. The fact that year in and year out we have always been handling these works does not necessarily mean there is no challenge or new challenges facing us. With changing time, increasing and competing workload, rising expectation and a demanding public, we need to be always mindful of the need to improve our work processes and upgrading our skills.

Suppose that during these days of celebrations, festivities and public holidays, the service is totally not functioning. What will happen or what will be the effect and impact to society? It can lead to a breakdown of system. It is therefore with deep awe and respect that we need to accord to those members of the Civil Service who will always be around to man the fort. For example, some members of the Armed Forces have to be on duty during this period especially those at the border areas, strategic locations and other well-guarded stations specifically on the lookout for elements that might disrupt national security and the general peace. So too are our police personnel who have to work hard on New Year’s Eve to contain rabble-rousers and rowdy groups that tend to “over-celebrate”. Security guards manning office buildings and looking after other government properties and assets have to sacrifice their public holidays so that there will be no untoward incident like the occurrence of fire and break-ins. Doctors, matrons, sisters, nurses and staff manning the hospitals, the Immigration and Customs officers at the entry/ exit points, the local authority personnel and many others will still continue to devote their time otherwise our garbage will be left uncollected.

The significance of festivities and celebrations is such that it will always involve everyone and will always feature prominently in the working life of any civil servant. Looking through the writings of some colonial officers serving in Sarawak particularly during the late 1940s to early 1960s, one cannot help but to notice that visits during the Hari Raya, Chinese New Year or Gawai are often mentioned. It is patently clear that these occasions provide an opportunity for the officers to interact and socialize as much as to show respect to the occasion. While the scale and style of celebrations then and today may be different, the meaning and significance pf these occasions have always been there to be understood and respected generation after generation.

What lessons and implications can we draw from these challenges in as far as the Civil Service is concerned? A lot we might add. Firstly, at the office level, an important challenge is to manage leave approval, travel itineraries, work distribution, officers reassignment, covering duties, acting appointments and manning the fort while the substantive officer is on leave or away from office.

If these leaves are not well –scheduled, the office may run the risk of being devoid of its officers and staff. It could mean project implementation being derailed; it could mean service delivery being interrupted; it could lead to a minor paralysis – a situation which is often associated with union strikes or labour unrest in other countries as things are put on hold or delayed during the period. Fortunately for us and especially in Bumi Kenyalang (Land of the Hornbills), given the multiethnic nature of our society, it is quite easy to reschedule such leave and work. Personnel who are celebrating for particular festivals or celebrations have the comfort of knowing that somebody who is not involved with such celebrations will always co-operate in being around to man the fort. At the home front, officers and staff who take leave will have the opportunity to mix, mingle and reminisce with their own family, relatives, friends and neighbors. This would not have been possible during normal working times. It is also fair to mention that such officers and staff will take advantage of the occasion to attend to family and personal needs and whatever chores that are to be completed.

A second point that we can draw is to recognize that life goes on as usual and in fact, many unforeseen, unexpected or untoward things can happen during such period. Yet, we need people to protect, guard or defend us – the military, the police, the auxiliary police, the security guards will always need to be around and vigilant. We need people to collect the rubbish, clean the streets, and manicure the landscape – the local authorities will be deluged with complaints and calls if these are not attended to. We need people to be around in case and when disasters strike. While we do not face the problem of bush fires, earthquakes and all those massive destruction, the end of the year whole associated with the rainy or landas means the distinct possibility of floods to occur. During such occasion, the administration via the Civil Service will have to be ready and active. In our case, of course we are now quite familiar with the imperative need to set up operations rooms at all levels – State, Divisional, District and even at Sub-district levels (where and when needed). The public hospitals including private hospitals, the Immigration and Customs offices at our entry points/ airports, ports, border crossings) will have to be manned by officers and staff of the respective Ministries, departments and agencies.

The third point to be stressed is the fact that we are not indispensable as an individual. For all or most Ministries, departments and agencies, they will have their core team or work group who together can and will man the fort and to deliver the needed services. On this basis, it is important that we pay or give due attention to build and promote teamwork within our organizational setup to ensure that policy, regulations and procedures are in place and that the work processes are clearly defined and documented. With our work processes now being subject to ISO certification, it is not anticipated that the various organizations will face any such difficulties in future. Moreover, many of these processes and procedures are now readily retrieved from the organization data bank.

A fourth and very important point is one relating to leadership within organizations. The issue is not about leadership to fight a battle or leadership of nations. It is a localized leadership issue at organizational level. It is about doing work, tasks and activities that metaphorically fall under category of “things I an not used to do or good at” or “things I don’t like to do”. Yet it is at times like this that we are to display leadership role at an equally demanding manner. Why? Mindful that we are manning the job during festive, holiday or celebration moods and with the least number of officers and staff, we may encounter a high level of expectation in terms of service delivery from the public. The demanding public may not tolerate inefficient and slipshod work for they will always expect an all-round effort and contribution from the service deliverer.

The final point has to do with the management of paradoxes of life. While some officers and staff are on leave to celebrate, to rest, to re-energize, to reflect and ponder or to pursue their personal chores (which may have been put off because of earlier pressing official work to meet public needs), we can still have other officers and staff to remain and execute work in the business-as-usual manner. Paradoxical as it may seem but it is always understood and easily explainable that life will go on, things will continue to happen, and the service will still be able to play its part in service delivery.

In conclusion, let us in the Civil Service continue to show the discipline, the dedication and the professionalism in doing the job we are tasked to do: produce and deliver the public goods. Let us not only show our capability, capacity and competency but also our readiness to serve. Let us continue to be the beacon that illuminates, the lamppost that brightens and the stars that shine.