Big Brother is watching you! IN a parliamentary democracy like ours, governments come and governments go, but the Civil Service, reinforced by the institution of the Royalty and the Judiciary, carries on continuously – all working at tandem like the vital cogs in a big wheel in providing complementary services for the well-being of the rakyat. That wheel makes a nation tick. These institutions are supposed to be neutral though attempts by politicians to tamper with them are not unknown. Still they function as best they can; without them this country would be in real trouble – we don’t want to be on TV for all the wrong reasons! Government service misconceived As those employed in the civil service are called government servants, some politicians, particularly those in power but unfamiliar with the intricacies of governing, equate those employees as their own servants, to be at their beck and call, to bully if they won’t comply at once, even manipulate them to their advantage in helping them further political causes and personal ambitions. Fortunately, our civil service has a long tradition of doing service with impartiality. It is has another role to play – that of being public or civil servants. There must be a good reason why they are also called such – the terms civil or public service are more accurately reflective than government service of their role for the public, by whom they are paid. To effectively serve several masters is not easy. Either you love one and try to please the others or love the rest and try to please one of them; in the end you please nobody. Neutrality The civil service has to be as neutral or apolitical as possible. It is governed by the ethics or discipline set out in the General Orders or in the Treasury Instructions (when they mange public funds) or when the judiciary dispenses justice. True, it is hard to be impartial or strictly apolitical when there are politicians stalking the corridors of power and looking over their shoulders every day of the week. Peaceful co-existence The relationship between the civil servants and the politicians in power or out of it is best described as a peaceful co-existence. The government of the day cannot survive without the permanent civil service, but the civil service can govern without the politicians, at least for a short time, because of the existence of other institutions of equal importance such as the Rulers and the Judiciary. In our case, we cannot do without the Constitution itself which is the supreme law of the land. Dilemma of civil servants Still neutrality is often compromised by the necessity to carry out the policies made by their political masters; the masters rely on the machinery at various levels of administration. On the one hand, they must toe the official line, reluctant they may be, and on the other they must also remember that there are other people to serve. Anyway, they will be there for many more years on the job until retirement while the politicians come and go, though some seem to have become institutionalised. Problems arise when somebody threatens civil servants for exercising their right to vote for the candidate of their choice in an election. Last week, teachers were under attack for allegedly being anti-establishment and suspected of influencing rural voters. Not a fair assessment of the role of the teachers. Rural teachers are an alert lot and when they see lack of economic development in the rural areas in which they serve, they cannot help being critical of the situation. What’s wrong with being critical? Teachers are also leaders in the community that they serve via the schools. They are more connected with the locals more often than the so-called government servants, or with high-level politicians, who are seen once in a blue moon! However, good politicians in a position to produce practicable ideas for implementation as a policy must tailor that policy for the good of that public as a whole – not interfering with their rights to fresh air, clean water, food, shelter, education, jobs and other amenities of life. Harassment by politicians bent on ‘teaching’ some lesson to those not supporting their candidates is not helpful in the reconciliation that the Prime Minister is advocating. Accommodate what the teachers want as far as possible – welfare of their families and happiness, their promotions and transfers to urban centres in some deserving cases, for the sake of their children. They may have bought a house in town for their children when attending school there. Teachers have children too and want the best education for them. Where to get it, except in good schools in town? Until we have good services in all rural areas, everybody wants to go to town! Imagine for yourself what’s going on in the minds of the teachers and pupils at SMK Suai … without adequate water supply for days. Notional neutrality The notion that the civil service is politically neutral is a misconception – it’s supposed to be apolitical but individual servants have different ideas and practice on the ground. I knew of a district officer who went canvassing for a BN candidate. Another DO who campaigned for the opposition was transferred to another district within 24 hours. So what is the rule – can a DO campaign (for any party whatsoever) or can’t he? I also knew of certain categories of civil servants in West Malaysia who have been admitted as members of Umno. When it comes to voting in an election, it is a different matter altogether. People vote for some ideology or issues but there are other voters who vote for a favourite cousin for the sake of family unity. Is that anti-establishment or worse — treasonable? Is he to be victimised? As I see it, our civil service should remain strictly neutral as a service provider to all people irrespective of their backgrounds, though individuals officers have their own choice of politics. They have to co-exist until either leaves the scene one day. Comments can reach the writer via columnists@theborneopost.
Posted on: Wed, 26 Jun 2013 00:15:21 +0000
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