The Public Service Commission aims to hire 30,000 civil servants this year, up from 25,000 in 2025, despite a drop in applications
KUANTAN: The Public Service Commission (PSC) is targeting 30,000 civil servant appointments this year.
This marks an increase from the 25,000 appointments made in 2025.
Its chairman Datuk Seri Dr Ahmad Jailani Muhamed Yunus said the target aligns with the need to replace retiring officers.
He said it also supports the government’s ongoing efforts to ensure public service continuity.
He noted that applications for the civil service decreased by about 200,000 from 2024 to 2025.
Applications fell from 1.2 million in 2024 to around one million last year.
Ahmad Jailani remains optimistic that application numbers will increase again in 2026 and 2027.
“We expect the number to be maintained at more than one million this year, God willing,” he told reporters.
He was speaking at the Kuantan PSC MADANI Career Journey programme at a hotel here.
He attributed the drop in applications to new qualification requirements under the Public Service Remuneration System (SSPA).
The SSPA sets the minimum qualification at Sijil Pelajaran Malaysia (SPM) level.
“This reduction is for those who only have Sijil Rendah Pelajaran (SRP), Penilaian Menengah Rendah (PMR) or lower qualifications,” he explained.
Commenting on the career programme, he said it was the first held in Pahang.
It is part of the PSC’s ongoing effort to reach out to youth and job seekers.
“This programme ensures youths receive exposure and accurate information about public service careers,” he said.
The event also involved open interviews for three specific categories.
These are Persons with Disabilities (PwD), Orang Asli, and nursing positions.
Initial attendance was over 700 people, with an expected 1,500 participants for the day.
