KAJANG, July 20 — Prime Minister Datuk Seri Anwar Ibrahim has instructed Chief Secretary to the Government (KSN) Tan Sri Shamsul Azri Abu Bakar to review civil service promotion processes that have been taking too long, with some officers reportedly waiting up to eight years.

Anwar said that while the government had implemented salary increases for civil servants, there are still issues affecting their welfare, including delays in career progression.

“Indeed, salaries have increased but I was informed that for certain categories, promotion can take up to eight years. That is true, I have heard many complaints about this. 

“I asked KSN about it, and he informed me that the matter would be reviewed in the next meeting. Any promotion process that takes too long must be expedited. That is the instruction I have given,” he said in his speech during the engagement session with the prime minister and KSN with Central Zone civil servants here today.

He also said civil servants are expected to work harder, uphold discipline, identify weaknesses and improve public service delivery, but their welfare must also be taken into account.

He then said that the recent civil service salary adjustment was not an easy decision due to the country’s financial constraints and inherited debt burden.

He said the KSN and Director-General of Public Service (KPPA) Tan Sri Wan Ahmad Dahlan Abdul Aziz were initially uncertain whether the proposed salary increase could be approved, as they understood the government’s financial limitations.

However, he said he decided to raise the proposed amount further after finding the initial recommendation insufficient.

“When the KSN and KPPA submitted the proposal, I said I was not willing to present it. They thought I wanted to reject it.

“I said no, I was unwilling because, in my view, their proposal was not high enough. So eventually, I asked for it to be increased further,” he said.

Anwar said the latest civil service salary adjustment differed from the usual practice, where recommendations submitted by the KPPA would typically be reduced after reaching the prime minister and finance minister for consideration.

He said that instead of lowering the proposed increase, he decided to raise it further as he felt the initial recommendation was insufficient.