Page 63 - KSN English Final

GAME ON : SYNERGISING FOR solutions to bilateral issues. Our Honourable Prime Minister, Dato’ Sri
Mohd Najib bin Tun Haji Abdul Razak and Prime Minister Lee Hsien
CHALLENGES AND OPPORTUNITIES Loong are committed to this approach, and their leadership has elevated
our bilateral ties to become a more comprehensive partnership.

As senior officials in our respective public services, I sincerely believe
we are instrumental in contributing and steering our countries to greater
n behalf of the Senior Officials of the Malaysian Public Service, heights, together. In view of this, we should increase the engagement
I take great pleasure in warmly welcoming you, Honourable Tan between our public services and capitalise on the good bonds that we
OSri Peter Ong and your colleagues, the Permanent Secretaries have, and take efforts to sustain and further enhance this friendship.
and Senior Officials from Singapore to Putrajaya.
Emerging complex challenges and potential opportunities point to the
We are gathered here this morning in conjunction with the 5th Joint need for public servants to better understand the environment we are in,
Seminar and 36th Malaysia-Singapore Public Service Games for Malaysia to be flexible and adaptable, while maintaining our focus on long-term
and Singapore Public Sector Leaders. I am delighted at the opportunity goals. Continuous analysis on service delivery needs, as well as emerging
to host this event. global trends is paramount, to enable us to improve our performance in
meeting current needs and addressing new trends.
The Malaysia-Singapore Public Service Games began in 1973 while the
Joint Seminar started five years ago, due to our predecessors’ foresight in In Malaysia, the performance of the civil service is elevated further
seeing the great value in fostering closer working relationships between through the various Transformation Programmes under the National
our respective public services. This annual event has been instrumental Transformation Agenda that have been initiated by the Government,
in enhancing networking and mutual understanding between the namely the Government Transformation Programme (GTP), the Economic
public servants of our countries. I look forward to active and productive
interaction, as we share the common drive to enhance collaborative
efforts for the betterment of our countries.
... I often like to remind that we, the civil servants
I had the privilege to meet you, Tan Sri, and a number of your colleagues, and public institutions, are also part of the
when I was in Singapore last month. My working visit to Singapore,
coupled with the briefing session from the Civil Service College and citizenry, as are our parents, siblings, children
Centre for Strategic Futures was indeed very fruitful. Not only that, I also and friends. It is with this in mind that I introduced
had the opportunity to call upon your Prime Minister Lee Hsien Loong the concept of “Merakyatkan Perkhidmatan
and Deputy Prime Minister Teo Chee Hean. I am glad to have had this Awam” in June 2012, which loosely translated
chance to continue fostering and strengthening our bilateral relationship. means “Humanising the Public Service”. This
I am pleased that our relationship is at its very best, under the present
leadership of both our Prime Ministers, and this excellent state has paved concept reminds us that firstly, we are public
the way for us to explore greater opportunities for co-operation in all officials who provide services to the people, and
sectors. secondly, we are also members of the citizenry,
who receive services from our fellow colleagues
Our Governments continually seek a win-win formula to further expand in the civil service.
the Malaysia-Singapore partnership, which has enabled us to jointly
undertake new and important initiatives, and also provide effective

52 Humanising The Public Service : A Compilation of Speeches by the Chief Secretary to the Government 53