Issue 3/2012

Issue 3/2012
It Had Been An Honour To Serve
“On Sunday 24th June 2012, I became, in a sense, private citizen Sidek Hassan.
As I leave the stage of the Civil Service, one I dedicated more than three decades
of my life to, I do so with humility and satisfaction. Humility at having being given
the honour to serve my country as its Chief Secretary, at being privy to the intimate
discussions along the corridors of power. Humbled, too, by the thought that I was
given the opportunity to make a difference. Satisfied that I was able to contribute in
a small way to some of the decisions, changes and transformation made,” Tan Sri
Sidek Hassan stated, on his retirement as Chief Secretary to the Government.
News Highlights:
 PEMUDAH, A Significant
Milestone
 Special Address By Tun
Abdullah Badawi
 A Tribute To An Exemplary
Leader
 Leading The Charge Towards
Higher Efficiency
 PEMUDAH Challenge
 PEMUDAH Challenge : Back
To School
 Winning Ideas
 “Syabas” To The Winners
 Stakeholders Consultations
on Best Practice Regulation
 PM Lauds PEMUDAH’s
Success
 90% Online Services by 2015
Tan Sri Sidek Hassan was appointed as Chief Secretary to the Government on 3rd September, 2006
and was the Chairman of PEMUDAH, a special taskforce to facilitate business, from its inception
in 2007 until his recent retirement on 24th June, 2012.
PEMUDAH e-Bulletin Issue 3/2012
Page 2
PEMUDAH, A Significant Milestone
Friends, it would take me all night, and then some, if
I were to address each of you individually, and still I
would not have done justice to the impact each of
your contributions had on me, on my work, on the
civil service. As I take my leave of PEMUDAH
tonight, I cannot thank each of you enough for the
opportunity given to me to work with you, to share a
part of my life with you. The camaraderie we
achieved, the bonds we made are gifts I will
treasure. It is said that some people come into our
lives and quickly go. Some stay for a while, leave
footprints on our hearts, and we are never, ever the
same. PEMUDAH members, your footprints are
embedded in my heart.
My parting words to each of you tonight: “In this life,
we cannot do great things but we can do small
things with great love.” I look forward to seeing
PEMUDAH growing from strength to strength under
As I look back on my years of service and am the stewardship of Dato Sri Ali and Tan Sri Yong
asked to highlight a significant milestone, I would Poh Kon.
have to say that PEMUDAH was it. In 2007, with
the foresight Tun Abdullah Ahmad Badawi, the (An abstract of Special Remarks by Tan Sri Mohd.
then Prime Minister of Malaysia, who decided to Sidek Hassan at the Appreciation Dinner held on
challenge us into improving Malaysia’s competitive- 12th July 2012)
ness ranking as reported by the World Bank’s Ease
of Doing Business Report. Among other achievements, we improved our ranking from 25th position
in 2007 to 18th position this year. But I know that
the achievements of PEMUDAH are not due to me
alone, but to each of you, my friends in the private
and public sectors, who so willingly and selflessly
worked with me and my colleagues from the civil
service to bring transformation and change.
Nobody in life gets exactly what they thought they
were going to get. But if you work really hard and
your heart is in the right place, your conscience
clear, amazing things happen.
PEMUDAH
members, you helped me achieve those things, I
thank each of you for the many opportunities you
have given me to make the improvements
required. I know that together we have achieve
much. I am also very aware, that we must
continue to Big Hairy Audacious Goals and achieve
them! To paraphrase Robert Frost, we have miles
to go before we sleep, miles to go before we
sleep…
PEMUDAH e-Bulletin Issue 3/2012
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Special Appreciation Address By
Tun Abdullah Badawi
Tun Abdullah Hj. Ahmad Badawi giving an appreciation speech in honour of Tan Sri Sidek’s contributions.
“PEMUDAH was indeed unique because it had no precedent. It was unique because it became an
agency of the government without being subjected to the rules of government. It was unique because
PEMUDAH was the anti-thesis of accepted notions of how the government should be run, how it should
be organised. PEMUDAH, after all, represented a challenge to the governing culture and ethos of the
civil service. The world had become a more competitive place. We are a relatively small trading nation
and we do not have massive reserves of natural resources to tide us through difficult times. The only way
to survive in this highly competitive world was through hard work and by using our wits.
We needed to change mindsets and the way we work to compete at a higher level. The key to getting this
change going was to get the public and private sector to work more harmoniously and in tandem. We
needed to combine the stability provided by the regulatory framework of the government, and the
nimbleness and entrepreneurship of the private sector, to compete as a nation. PEMUDAH would identify
bottlenecks that constrained our economic performance. It would set new benchmarks for efficiency. It
would recommend changes that needed to be made to secure these efficiencies.
There are so many manifestations of the impact PEMUDAH has wrought. These improvements have
been achieved during a time when PEMUDAH was under the stewardship of Tan Sri Sidek. To Tan Sri
Sidek, I like to say thank you, personally and on behalf of the nation, for what you have done through
PEMUDAH”.
PEMUDAH e-Bulletin Issue 3/2012
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A Tribute To An Exemplary Leader
“We are gathered this evening to honour and thank Tan Sri Sidek for his
exemplary leadership of PEMUDAH and to recognise the significant
achievements under his stewardship. As we look back on the tenure of
Tan Sri Sidek as the Chairman of PEMUDAH, many things come to mind
about his uniqueness and quality of the leadership he offered to the Taskforce. We started in the early days with scepticism but we quickly
narrowed our differences and came together as one ‘pasukan’. All this
would not have been possible without the leadership of Tan Sri Sidek. In
conducting meetings, Tan Sri Sidek encouraged discourse and had a
knack for drawing comments from those disinclined to speak, ended
arguments that were obviously not going anywhere and peppered
discussions with quotes and riddles ‘ala Sidek!’ We can all agree that Tan
Sri Sidek’s effectiveness as a Chairman was exemplary, he set the pace
and dictated the momentum, often taking important issues offline to
enable quick and effective resolutions. He was prepared to let the buck
Tan Sri Yong Poh Kon, Co-Chair stop with him and dirty his hands, so to speak. We have so often heard
about the emails he received from all and sundry as his email address is
of PEMUDAH, gave the
public knowledge and the quick action that followed. He did not just pay lip
welcoming speech during the
service to efficient service delivery; he epitomised it and set the benchmark
Appreciation Dinner
for others. When the Chief Secretary is so focused and passionate, we
have no choice but to keep up with him. If we look at the totality of positive action taken to improve the public
service delivery and enhance the competitiveness of the country, including the convenience to the public as
well, we can all agree that Tan Sri Sidek has undoubtedly left his mark. I would like to take this opportunity to
thank Tan Sri Sidek for the confidence I enjoyed as Co-chair. I personally valued the pre-Council meetings I
had with him before every PEMUDAH meeting and sometimes after, when more difficult issues emerged that
needed further discussion. I thank you sincerely for the exemplary leadership you provided and for making a
difference for the nation”. May our good wishes follow you as you move forward. Allow me also to congratulate
and formally welcome Dato’ Sri Dr. Ali Hamsa as he assumes the position of Chief Secretary to the
Government, and Chair of PEMUDAH. I am confident that Dato’ Sri Ali will provide the leadership that the civil
service and PEMUDAH needs in moving the nation forward”.
Appreciation Dinner held in honour of Tan Sri Sidek Hassan
PEMUDAH e-Bulletin Issue 3/2012
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Leading The Charge Towards Higher Efficiency
My Door Is Open To Everyone
Dato’ Sri Dr. Ali Hamsa was appointed Chief Secretary to
the Government on 24 June 2012. The handing over
ceremony by the Prime Minister was held on 21 June
2012. Dato’ Sri Dr. Ali pledged to practise openness in his
leadership and asserted that his door will be open to
everyone. In keeping with the theme of “Merakyatkan
Sektor Perkhidmatan Awam”, Dato’ Sri Dr. Ali said
transforming the public sector was necessary to change
the mindset of public servants and how they worked.
"When you are providing service, you have to know the
feelings of the people because we are also a part of them.
We must be reminded that whatever we do for them is the
same as doing it for ourselves as we are getting the same
services they get". Dato’ Sri Dr. Ali also suggested the
secretary-generals of ministries and heads of departments
to hold quarterly meetings with local authorities nationwide. Although they are under the various state governments, it would be good to exchange ideas, he added.
Handing over Ceremony by the Prime Minister and the
Chief Secretary to the Government, Dato’ Sri Dr. Ali
Hamsa during his first day at Perdana Putra
PEMUDAH e-Bulletin Issue 3/2012
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PEMUDAH Challenge
In 2010, PEMUDAH launched the PEMUDAH Challenge with the goal of getting the public to provide
ideas and identify rules/regulations/licences which are no longer relevant for effective government
administration. The season 1 of the PEMUDAH challenge generated 1,105 ideas for improvement, of
which 67 won the prize of RM1,000 each. Given the response and quality of the ideas generated during
season 1, PEMUDAH opened and second season in April 2011 and this brought in a total of 3,946
submissions of which 57 ideas were selected for implementation. The categories of ideas generated in
Season 1 and 2 of the PEMUDAH challenge include, value-added on current system, feasibility of
enhancement, merging of agencies, ease of dealing, social responsibility, e-services, abolishment, go
green, data integration and appointment made easy.
Past Season Winners of PEMUDAH Challenge
PEMUDAH e-Bulletin Issue 3/2012
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PEMUDAH CHALLENGE : Back to School
We must inculcate a culture in schools, institutions of higher learning and the work place to bring forth ideas
generation as a way of life and also to create an environment to bring ideas into reality. This is the real
challenge; not only PEMUDAH’s Challenge but the Nation’s Collective Challenge! For Season 3 of the
Challenge, PEMUDAH, in collaboration with the Ministry of Education, had implemented the “PEMUDAH
Challenge : Back to School”. This challenge will allow students to have a ‘voice” and think out of the box to
generate innovative and creative ideas pertaining to enhancing government service delivery for improving
students life in schools. The prize giving ceremony was held on 19 June 2012 at the Putrajaya International
Convention Centre in recognition of the students innovation and creativity. The event was inspiring and fun
filled with performances from the students. It was an awesome display of Teachers’ dedication and Students’
ingenuity.
An Awesome Display of Teachers’ Dedication
and Students’ Ingenuity
Inspiring and fun filled performances by the students during the prize giving ceremony of the PEMUDAH Back to School Challenge.
PEMUDAH e-Bulletin Issue 3/2012
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Winning Ideas : Sekolah Kebangsaan Seri Bintang, KL
Two primary schools in Kuala Lumpur, Sekolah Kebangsaan Bukit Damansara and Sekolah Kebangsaan Seri
Bintang had been selected in this pilot initiative. A total of 198 ideas were received from the standard four to
standard six students of which 24 representing 12% of the ideas were selected as winning ideas. Fourteen
winning ideas were from Sekolah Kebangsaan Seri Bintng and range from having a robotic room, implementing smart cards for use in canteens as well as libraries, science park and a lounge equipped with computers.
PEMUDAH e-Bulletin Issue 3/2012
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Winning Ideas: Sekolah Kebangsaan Bukit Damansara, KL
The Back to School Challenge was a resounding success and the primary school students prove that they
are knowledgeable, creative and innovative and definitely not short of ideas. They have made their voice
heard in generating ideas that can improve the learning environment in their respective schools. The ten
winning ideas from Sekolah Kebangsaan Bukit Damansara includes having a special portal to enhance
communication, using LCDs and projectors in classes as well as adopting a greener lifestyle which
includes planting more trees and having eco-recycling machines.
PEMUDAH e-Bulletin Issue 3/2012
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“SYABAS” To the Winners
The Back to School Challenge is an extension of the PEMUDAH Challenge held in 2010 and 2011, open to
both civil servants and the general public. The students demonstrated that they think out of the box and had
generated winning ideas that can make their schools more conducive for learning and indirectly enhance the
national education system. The winning ideas were selected based on creativity, innovativeness, effectiveness and impact. This programme is a big step forward towards a Creative and Innovative Society.
“With the resounding success of the Pilot Initiative of the PEMUDAH Back to School Challenge,
the Challenge will be extended to all schools throughout Malaysia,” announced Tan Sri Abdul
Ghafar Mahmud, Director General, Ministry of Education.
PEMUDAH e-Bulletin Issue 3/2012
Page 11
Stakeholders Consultations On Best Practice Regulation
In pursuing its goal of being a developed nation, the government is continuously striving for new avenues to
maintain and enhance efficiency and competitiveness in the Public sector. Ensuring the quality of new
regulations is achieved through a systematic and thorough analysis as well as consultations. To initiate this
challenging endeavour, the government is introducing a new policy which would transform the rule-making
process within the government and ultimately modernize business regulations. The Malaysia Productivity
Corporation has produced a draft of the National Policy on the Development and Implementation of Regulations
as well as the Best Practice Regulation Handbook. These two documents provide guidelines to ensure the
implementation of the Best Practice Regulation system. Various means of consultation and engagement
sessions were conducted to gather feedback from stakeholders and affected parties on this new initiative. Four
consultations were organized to create awareness and consult stakeholders and Ministries on the Best Practice
Regulation policy and guidelines, gather feedback and comments for the improvement of the handbook and to
leverage on the opportunity to seek inputs and involvement from all parties. The consultation sessions were
well represented by related agencies, ministries and associations. Written comments were received from
Attorney-General’s Chambers and various parties via email.
In general, the participants commended
MPC’s efforts on conducting the
consultation and engagement sessions
as these sessions have helped clarify
various issues with regards to ensuring
the quality of new regulations. The
participants were informed that the
implementation will be in stages and
started with pilot project involving three
selected ministries. A forum at
Ministerial level to gather feedback from
pilot participants will be held. The RIS
Portal is expected to be developed as a
repository and reference for all
regulators and interested parties.
PEMUDAH e-Bulletin Issue 3/2012
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The Prime Minister Lauds PEMUDAH’s Success
The joint public-private sector panel established to fight red tape has been given the broader task of improving the
quality of life for all, beyond making it easier to do business in the country. Dato’ Sri Najib Tun Razak gave the
Special Taskforce to Facilitate Business (PEMUDAH), formed on Feb. 7, 2007, the new task after giving the panel
members a “pat on the back for a job well done.” The Prime Minister said that in the face of global economic
challenges, it was important that Malaysia ensured it remained competitive and stayed as the preferred destination
for trade and investment. “PEMUDAH has more
than met my expectations. I envisage Pemudah
will remain vital and relevant to the business
community and people of Malaysia. I look
forward to more improvements from Pemudah
to ease doing business and improve the quality
of life of our citizens. The task force had
“advanced” itself to tackle “higher-hanging
fruits” over the past year by making significant
contributions to the review policies on, among
others, the abolishment of Foreign Investment
Committee guidelines, distributive trade guidelines, competition
policy and employment
matters. The mark of this Government has been
its willingness to consider the concerns of the
business community and public at large. This Government is all about being sensitive and responsive to the
concerns of the people. “I would like to see Pemudah doubling efforts to ensure it contributes significantly towards
Government efforts to transform the economy,” Dato’ Sri Najib said.
MyGovernment Portal : 90% Online Services by 2015
The Government aims to have 90% of its services online by 2015 via its
myGovernment portal, said Chief Secretary to the Government Dato’ Sri Dr Ali
Hamsa. He said currently, 35% of government services were available through the
portal, giving pensioners and senior citizens access to transact their various benefits online, apart from licence and permit renewals and local council summons
payments. “The Government is creating an ecosystem that will encourage the
extensive application of ICT in all areas of the economy to build up communities
that are connected globally and to interact in real time. “Technology has been
infused into all aspects of service delivery and internal government operations,” he
said in his keynote address at the recent National Digital Conference 2012. Dato’ Sri Dr. Ali pointed out that the
public sector had successfully implemented its e-Government and paperless initiatives, promoting the use of
technology to improve access to and delivery of government services to the public and businesses. Highlighting
the Housing and Local Government Ministry’s one-stop centre project (OSC), he said processing time and
approval of project development applications had greatly improved among the 76 local authorities that had
adopted the system nationwide. “Through this initiative, the various processes involved in the application can be
made simultaneously and processing time reduced to between four and six months compared to between one
and two years previously. Approvals for building plans and planning permission increased from 72% to 90%, while
the average applications through the OSCs also increased from 84.7% to 92.5%,” he said.
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