Civil servants reminded to remain politically neutral during elections to uphold public service integrity and professionalism, says the director-general.
SEREMBAN: Civil servants have been reminded to remain politically neutral and refrain from siding with any party, particularly during election periods, to preserve the integrity and professionalism of the public service.
Public Service Director-General Tan Sri Wan Ahmad Dahlan Abdul Aziz said civil servants must continue to uphold the core principles of the public service and remain loyal to the government of the day while carrying out their duties impartially.
“My advice to civil servants is that we must always remain neutral because we uphold the principle of loyalty to the government of the day.
“That is the principle we adhere to, and we cannot take sides with anyone during elections,” he told reporters after the MADANI Civil Service Aspiration Dialogue (Negeri Sembilan Series 2) today.
Wan Ahmad Dahlan said the Public Service Department (PSD) has not, to date, received any reports of civil servants campaigning for political parties or taking leave to participate in campaign activities during the 16th Negeri Sembilan State Election.
He stressed that the primary responsibility of civil servants is to serve the public professionally, regardless of political differences.
“Our duty is to provide the best possible service to the people. As long as it benefits the public, that is the only message I wish to convey to civil servants,” he said.
The Election Commission has set Aug 1 as polling day for the Negeri Sembilan state election, while early voting is on July 28.
