Training public servants: Malaysian model
The profile of today's public service is significantly different from what it was only a decade back. The governments of developing countries are therefore crafting training approaches matched with the market demand. Demand for good governance, need for coping with ever-changing technology, irresistible impact of globalisation and persistent pressure of the market economy necessitate an overhaul of the public service training system.
Almost all developing nations have realised that to meet the needs of the people and build administrative capability to cope with the challenges of the 21st century, public service and training should be integrated. As mere commonsense and guesswork do not help in solving complex administrative problems and in implementing national goals, continual training is an unavoidable necessity.
Training and retraining are an integral part of the administrative system and strategic planning of the government. Retraining is needed because technology everywhere is changing constantly, and old work habits that impede administrative efficiency need to be discontinued.
Among the Asean nations, Malaysia has earned global acclamation for enhancing productivity in the public service. It is proud of its efficient public service that is often considered a replicable model for the developing nations of Asia.
The government acts as a facilitator and pace-setter for the private sector in all spheres, including training. To attain the goals of Malaysia Incorporated, the need for public-private sector collaboration is persistent. The deficiencies of the public sector training are supplemented by the private sector.
Because public sector training agencies lack adequate resources and are unable to cope with the increasing training load, private sector agencies come forward as partners to share responsibility and resources. Moreover, the cross-fertilisation of ideas resulting from intimate collaboration between the two sectors helps in evolving innovative technology to make training useful and attractive.
With the introduction of the Malaysia Incorporated concept, the civil service in Malaysia has experienced a shift in the paradigm of administration. It has become customer-oriented and is playing a key role in facilitating the growth of the private sector, which is considered the engine of growth. Attempts are being made to inject doable private sector-related concepts in the public sector. Customer service, results, performance have become the daily mantra for civil servants.
The role of the civil service in fulfilling the vision to make Malaysia a developed nation by 2020 is considered critical. Civil servants are required to be knowledgeable, capable, courteous and responsive so that they can contribute to the implementation of the set goal.
The policy-makers of Malaysia perceive training as an investment for increasing productivity and for adopting changes in the organisations in response to the rapidly changing technology, both in the regional and the global market.
Training is used to build a skilled workforce, both in the public and the private sector, and also to reorient the public service so that it can cope with the challenges of "Electronic Government" and play a facilitative role for the private sector.
The Public Service Department (PSD) provides general guidelines to the government-led training institutes on training and higher education/ training abroad. PSD also organises training programmes with local and foreign universities to sponsor post-graduate studies for government officials.
The Training Division of PSD is a major contributor to the national labour market, and organises education and training programmes. It conducts two programmes (i) Skill Creation Programmes and employment (ii) Skills Upgrading Programmes. In 1996, it sponsored 1,286 overseas graduates and 8,941 local graduates.
The Training Division is spearheading a new programme -- Total Quality Management (TQM) -- in all the government agencies, aimed at delivering high quality services. It has also introduced Quality Control Circle (QCC) to involve the support staff in improving quality services. The Quality Inspectorate Team of MAMPU conducts inspections to monitor the degree of improvement of the service quality.
Training institutes in the public sector, particularly INTAN (which is the national seat of public service training), and those in the private sector collaborate to modernise the training system. INTAN is trying to introduce the concept of distance learning to forge linkage with counterpart training institutes. To make training cost-effective, INTAN is attempting to link regional countries with its headquarters as well through the computer. Group presentations are conducted with the aid of the computer network and teleconferencing.
INTAN has taken up the onerous task of massive reorientation of the civil service towards customer service and quality management. It has also realigned its strategic direction and adopted the principle "Training for Quality" as the core mission. The focal generic areas of training identified by INTAN are:
-Leadership and creativity;
-Accountability, moral values and attitude development;
-Quality and productivity;
-Internalising Vision 2020;
-Information technology;
-Induction courses for various levels;
-Communication and language;
-Training and media development;
-Financial and asset management.
Most of the government officials have acquired capability to act as trainers and as administrators. The art of presenting a particular subject is a common quality with almost all the officials of the public sector. Use of multi-media is widespread in government offices as well as training institutes.
Training is the basic tool by which these standards are achieved, and a quality culture developed in the government offices. The question is: Can we replicate, with needed modifications, the Malaysian civil service training system in our country?
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