YOURSAY | Deadwood in civil service, not just Jakoa

YOURSAY | 'Our civil service has been politicised and it's reflected in their work ethics and attitude.'

Stop sending the 'deadwood' to Jakoa - Cameron Highlands MP

Federal Bakery: If this was an interview to mark International Day of the World's Indigenous Peoples, there is much to worry about the fate of our brothers and sisters in this country who fall under the definition of indigenous people.

Cameron Highlands MP Ramli Mohd Nor, representing this endangered group, complains about the indifference of bureaucrats. That we know, because that is how other minorities are treated.

What is sadly missing in his lament is any indication of the general policies on the treatment of this section of our vulnerable population.

Ramli says the government has good policies but he does not explain which of those policies are affected by the bureaucratic indifference or those implementing the policies.

Nor does he speak of the success of those other policies that are able to survive the indifference and whether these have any beneficial effect on his community.

Apart from his support of a relative's appointment to a senior position, he carefully omits any other problems his community has in navigating government support.

The term ‘indigenous people’ does not add or diminish the rights of the community that is so described. Their rights are attached to the language they speak, the spirits they worship, the lands they occupy and the resources that are naturally and legally theirs.

Unless these rights are protected, ‘indigenous rights’ mean nothing.

It must not be that they are asked to give up those characteristics tied to their rights in order to make them citizens of this country and be entitled to policies that are meant to improve their lot.

Headhunter: The lackadaisical attitude of civil servants described by Ramli is prevalent throughout the civil service.

Personally, I've seen much worse. It's either they couldn't care less or they expect some sort of under-the-table money to get things done.

The whole civil service has been politicised and it's reflected in their work ethics and attitude.

Coward: In the Malaysian civil service, you cannot fire people, so you move them on.

The deadwood will happily drift around until they find their ‘home’, that is, some place where nobody cares whether you do anything. Normally, these are in some rural areas. This is unfair to people in rural areas who actually need government services more.

Don't worry. This is not a Malaysia-only phenomenon. In Europe, the Union is so strong that it is difficult to fire people, so you have people who go to the office every day doing nothing, literally reading newspapers all day.

Falcon: Alleluia! He's alive! He lives? He is finally speaking, but what? Elections must be coming and he knows this round Cameron Highlands is not a safe seat for anyone, let alone he as a safe candidate?

Ramli, you speak about deadwood and incompetence - have you looked in the mirror? Perhaps, Parliament should have a larger-than-life mirror at its entrance so our MPs can have a look before they step into the august House.

And pray it tickles their conscience - if they have one.

With all the financial scandals, including corruption, going on and delusion, denials and worst, attempting to hide behind national security, what's next?

Proarte: The fact that an Orang Asli girl had to drop out of her university course because she could not afford the fees is absolutely disgusting.

As the true indigenous inhabitants of Malaysia, why are they not given the same privileges as the Malays, who are given generous educational scholarships and places are reserved for them in our universities? Why the blatant discrimination?

Just look at our Malay leader former premier Najib Abdul Razak who proudly admits to being of immigrant Bugis stock and former deputy prime minister Ahmad Zahid Hamidi who is of recent immigrant Javanese origins - they have been implicated in financial scandals amounting to tens of billions of ringgit.

Does the welfare of the Orang Asli concern them? Clearly not, when there is no adequate budget for their education, as evidenced by the heart-rending case mentioned in this report.

This is the level of greed and immorality of these Malay leaders.

PinkRabbit2966: In 1978 or 1979, I had a student in my second-year writing class. I was very impressed with his writing assignments, very much better compared to other students in the class.

If my memory served me right, he was one of the top students in my class. I think he chose to major in anthropology and sociology. Overall, he did well in his study and became an academician at Universiti Malaya and later became a professor in his field.

He was appointed director-general of Jakoa. He held the position before the current director-general. His name is Juli Edo. If I am not mistaken, he is the first Orang Asli to become a professor.

Anyway, it takes time for any community to change. Education is the road to progress. I am proud to have Juli Edo in my class.

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