PKR’s Selayang incumbent William Leong dismissed suggestions that the coalition would downsize the country’s 1.63 million-strong civil service if it comes to power.
“The role of a government and the number of civil servants vary from country to country depending on its needs and circumstances,” he said referring to reports that Malaysia’s civil servants to population ration is among the highest in the world.
Malaysia’s public servant ratio is 1 to 19.37, compared to Singapore (1 to 71.4), China (1 to 108.3), Indonesia (1 to 110) and United Kingdom (1 to 118).
Leong said PH would instead focus on improving public service delivery, as well as rationalising the roles and functions of ministries.
Leong said it was the present government which has been “right-sizing” the civil service, including offering an exit policy for civil servants under the 11th Malaysia Plan.
He said Minister in the Prime Minister’s Department, Azalina Othaman Said had told the Dewan Rakyat the government planned to achieve a ratio of one civil servant to 20 people.
The government has allocated RM78 billion for civil servants’ remuneration this year, up from RM42 billion in 2010.