KOTA KINABALU: Any state officer or personnel who feel that they are no longer able to carry out the responsibilities entrusted to them effectively should notify their superiors or the Chief Minister so that redeployment can be considered.
Chief Minister Datuk Seri Panglima Haji Hajiji Haji Noor said this is to create room for improvement, strengthen the capability of the public service, and ensure that the interests of the people are always prioritised.
He said that public service personnel are not merely executors of instructions, but strategic partners to the government leadership in translating state government policies and programmes into action.
“Civil servants are not merely those who simply profess ‘I, who follow orders’, but are also strategic partners to the government leadership in translating policies and programmes into outcomes that have a direct impact on the lives of the people and the progress of our beloved nation.
“I wish to stress that the public service is the backbone of stability and effectiveness in government administration. Governments may change, and policies may shift or be adjusted accordingly; however, the public service must remain professional, neutral, and people-oriented,” he said.
Addressing the State civil personnel at the Sabah International Convention Centre (SICC) here today, the Chief Minister said that members of the civil service must remain united and steadfast with a strong spirit of service, discipline, and integrity.
He said the State Government is committed to establishing a more orderly, structured, and disciplined administration, as the implications of unethical conduct not only tarnish an individual’s reputation but also have serious consequences for their families, the institutions they represent, and may result in significant losses to the state and the nation.
To further strengthen integrity in the public service, Hajiji said the State Government, through the State Public Service Department, is currently working to obtain integrated certification for the Quality Management System (MS ISO 9001:2015) and the Anti-Bribery Management System (ABMS 37001:2025).
“This will strengthen organisational governance, enhance the efficiency of public service delivery, and demonstrate an ongoing commitment to integrity, transparency, and accountability in management and administration.
“I wish to remind everyone that the public service must continue to be empowered to ensure an effective and efficient delivery system on a consistent basis.
“This call is not only directed at public service agencies, but also to all personnel in Statutory Bodies and Government-Linked Companies (GLCs),” he said. In another note, he expressed his gratitude to the people of Sabah for the mandate after the
17th State Legislative Assembly General Election that allowed this Government to continue governing for a second term, placing Sabah in a very positive position.
“In fact, it is far better compared to when the GRS Government took over power five years ago.
We have successfully placed Sabah on the right track; we have strengthened stability and reinforced governance. We have strengthened the economy and improved people’s well-being.
“Sabah is now well-prepared to continue moving forward and is ready to achieve sustained progress and development.
“And with Sabah’s position on the right track, it requires the Government to tighten monitoring to ensure the effectiveness of administration,” he said.
“I believe that with strong cooperation between the state leadership and members of the civil service, we will certainly be able and capable of sustaining the momentum of success that we achieved five years ago,” he said.
Hajiji said that recent developments in Sabah politics have strengthened the State Government’s position, enabling it to secure a two-thirds majority in the State Legislative Assembly, thereby ensuring political stability crucial to the continuity of the development agenda and the long-term well-being of the people.
He said this stability also opened up space for the State Government to draft and amend the State Constitution in line with current needs.
This includes the proposal to limit the Chief Minister’s term of office to a maximum of two terms or 10 years, increase the number of state cabinet members to meet increasingly complex administrative demands, as well as rebrand the position of Assistant Minister as Deputy Minister to make it more relevant and aligned with current administrative practices, he said.
Hajiji said that the State Government of today will ensure that the administrative machinery continues to be strengthened and enhanced to become more responsive, efficient and effective.
“To this end, the restructuring of several ministries, departments and government agencies, including GLCs, is being carried out as an improvement measure to ensure that government service delivery and the performance of each government entity are truly efficient and effective, and more importantly, do not disadvantage the people and the government.
“This step is in line with the aspirations of the people and the government’s development agenda under the Hala Tuju Sabah Maju Jaya 2.0 Development Plan,” he said.
“The State Government will continue to strengthen relations and maintain close, continuous and constructive cooperation with the Federal Government to ensure that the interests and well-being of the people of Sabah are always safeguarded,” he said.-pr/BNN
