KUALA LUMPUR: The Congress of Unions of Employees in the Public Service (CUEPACS) fully supports His Majesty Sultan Ibrahim, King of Malaysia’s decree emphasising that civil servants must be free from the influence of political parties.
Its president, Datuk Dr Adnan Mat, said His Majesty’s decree emphasised the importance of civil servants upholding the principle of loyalty to the King and Country by performing their duties honestly and trustworthily.
“CUEPACS fully supports the decree of His Majesty who reminded civil servants that they must remain professional and not get involved in political struggles that could undermine service to the people.
“CUEPACS believes that civil servants are capable of fulfilling their responsibilities without being influenced by the current political turmoil,“ he said when contacted by Bernama.
Therefore, Adnan urged all civil servants to continue providing quality and effective services to the people and nation, considering they are the backbone of the government’s administration and need to act professionally.
“Civil servants are reminded to remain free from any political ideology in their efforts to maintain the overall well-being of the country under the patronage of the royal institution. They need to be wise in facing challenges and to ensure that services to the people are not affected, even with changes in the government,“ he said.
His Majesty, in his Royal Address at the Investiture Ceremony for 2025 in conjunction with the King’s official birthday celebration at Istana Negara today, also emphasised that civil servants should always prioritise the interests of the nation and people.
“Government officials must ensure that every decision made follows the established rules and regulations, not the whims of politicians,“ His Majesty decreed.
Meanwhile, civil servants contacted by Bernama also supported the decree of His Majesty and believed it was very accurate and deserved serious attention.
Amira Abdul Halim, 36, an administrative and diplomatic officer at the Home Ministry, said that civil servants should not be influenced by any particular political agenda as in a mature, democratic country, civil servants are the backbone of an efficient, fair, and transparent national administration.
“Maintaining integrity and professionalism in the public service to ensure that the policies implemented are based on the needs of the people and interests of the nation, rather than being influenced by certain political agendas,“ she said.
According to Amira, civil servants must always adhere firmly to work ethics and the value of integrity, with decisions made according to regulations and not political directives, in the interest of good governance to preserve the dignity of the civil service.
She said that the principles of the 12 Pillars serve as an ethical guide for civil servants, emphasising 12 core values including valuing time, diligence, enjoyment in work, integrity, responsibility, prudent wisdom, and talent enhancement that must be adhered to.
Meanwhile, S. Meettra, who works as an assistant administrative officer at the Ministry of Natural Resources and Environment, said His Majesty’s decree should be used as a guideline for both junior and senior officers.
“As civil servants, we need to set an example for future successors (civil servants) that our duties are based on laws and circulars without external interference,“ she said.
A police constable, who only wanted to be known as Raja, said that civil servants free from political influence are capable of making fair and law-based decisions.
He said that a neutral stance can also ensure the implementation of government policies is more efficient and focused on the interests of the people.
