By Roslan Mutu
KUCHING, Nov 27: The recent promotions of 26 Grade N52 state civil servants were based on stringent criteria set by the Public Service Commission (PSC), revealed Deputy Chief Minister Tan Sri Datuk Amar Dr James Jemut Masing.
He told DayakDaily today that PCS officers who were summoned to his office had explained to him that there was no quota imposed on any particular race for the said posts.
“Among the criteria was that they (the applications) must be N48 officers for more than a year, and they must be proficient in both writing and speaking in English and Bahasa Malaysia. So, the recent promotions of 26 Grade N52 state government officers were purely based on stringent criteria based on PSC requirements.”
Masing disclosed that the promotions of the 26 officers were also based on PSC’s Rule 48, which does not allow the State Secretary’s Office to vet the PSC decision.
“So, my advice to the people, especially the Dayaks, is that they must work hard and help themselves. Learn from the Malays and Melanaus how they really focus on fulfilling the criteria set by PSC. And the bottom line is, you have got to work hard for your own bread and butter,” said Masing.
Masing, who is also Parti Rakyat Sarawak (PRS) president, said the PSC officers also explained to him that out of 123 applications for the N52 posts, 29 of them were not qualified as they were N48 officers for less than a year. And another 26 did not submit their Sarawak Civil Service (SCS) Career Progression Portfolio.
In addition, out of the 68 applicants who were called for the final interview by PSC, the final selection was as follows: Malay/Melanau (16), Iban (two), Bidayuh (three), Orang Ulu (one) and Chinese (four).
Of the 26 newly promoted Grade N52 officers, 10 are district officers, four from the State Planning Unit (SPU), two each from the State Planning Authority (SPA) and State Finance Department and one each from the Sarawak Museum Department, State Sewerage Services Department, MITD, Ministry of Local Government and Housing, Ministry of Tourism, Arts, Culture Youth and Sports, Chief Minister’s Department, Ministry of Industry and Entrepreneur Development, and State Human Resources Unit in the Chief Minister’s Department.
To be in Grade N52 is considered a senior post as it is just one step below the director-level post — Grade N54.
The promotions of the 26 N52 officers had gone viral on social media, especially Facebook and WhatsApp, prompting DayakDaily to seek an explanation from the state government. — DayakDaily
