The Public Service Department will assess how AI affects civil service roles to ensure staffing remains relevant and service delivery efficient
PUTRAJAYA: The Public Service Department (JPA) will conduct a study to assess the impact of artificial intelligence (AI) on civil service positions.
Public Service director-general Tan Sri Wan Ahmad Dahlan Abdul Aziz said the study aims to ensure the public sector staffing structure remains relevant while supporting more efficient service delivery.
“This is important because AI is already capable of taking over routine and analytical tasks,” he said in his New Year address.
He said heads of departments would need to review job descriptions based on the study’s findings to ensure positions remain relevant and competitive.
“This step is critical to ensure that the significant investment allocated by the government for retraining and reskilling public officers over the past few years yields commensurate returns,” he said.
Wan Ahmad Dahlan said heads of departments must also possess strong metacognitive capabilities to guide the workforce in an increasingly complex work environment.
“In this AI era, a leader’s wisdom is reflected in the ability to strategically identify tasks that require a human touch and those that can be more efficiently optimised through machines,” he said.
He also announced the launch of JPA’s Strategic Plan 2026–2030, which outlines five strategic thrusts to drive public service reform.
The plan will be implemented through 11 strategies, 40 programmes and 91 targets over the next five years as the department’s main operational guide.
In addition, Wan Ahmad Dahlan said JPA would launch its Digitalisation Strategic Plan 2026–2030 in the first half of this year.
This digital plan encompasses four strategic thrusts, 18 strategies and 129 programmes to strengthen digital delivery and governance.
He called on civil servants to be prepared for an increasingly challenging work landscape amid rapid technological advancements.
He stressed that the public service must remain relevant, responsive and resilient in a rapidly changing environment.
He added that higher salaries would naturally lead to greater public expectations for government services.
The theme of this year’s address, *Menerajui Tekad Reformasi*, reflects civil servants’ readiness to lead efforts to transform Malaysia, he said.
