Minister in the Prime Minister’s Department Joseph Entulu Belaun said the government also disagreed with claims by certain quarters that there were too many civil servants in the country compared to other nations.

“Actually, the percentage or ratio used as a comparison is like comparing an apple to an orange because (the country’s) policemen and soldiers are also included in the number of civil servants.

“There are countries where policemen, soldiers and others are not included (in the civil service). So the comparison is not accurate,” he said when responding to a supplementary question from Annuar Musa (BN-Ketereh).

Entulu said civil servants in some government departments with lack of staff even had to work on weekends.

“Our officers at the division secretary level and above have to sacrifice their off days and work on Fridays, Saturdays and Sundays,” he said.