KUALA LUMPUR: The Prime Minister’s move of rolling out a slimmer Federal Cabinet should be supported by all Malaysians, said Tan Sri T.C Goh, President of The Federation of Chinese Associations Malaysia (Huazong).
He said such a move reflected well on the unity government’s emphasis on quality, rather than quantity.
He thus hoped the present government could adopt the same determination to trim down the size of our bloated public service sector, in stages, so that it would not continue to incur heavy financial burden to the government.
However, he emphasised that the proposed trimming of the public service sector should not involve any retrenchment of the existing civil servants, but through a well thought out and properly planned restructuring of various government departments and agencies, in order to fully utilise the available manpower.
“The government can also gradually reduce the intake of civil servants, unless it is absolutely necessary, such as in the aspect of national security i.e. the armed forces and police force, education and healthcare sectors, to fill up vacancies left vacant by those officers or personnel who had left or retired,” he said.
Goh who is also President of The Federation of Chinese Associations Sabah (FCAS) said this in a statement issued today, while commenting on the announcement of the Deputy Ministers’ line-up announced by Prime Minister, Datuk Seri Anwar Ibrahim, on Friday.
He noted that, following the said announcement, the new Federal Cabinet is now made up of 55 members i.e. 28 full ministers and 27 deputy ministers, which is ‘slimmer’ than the previous Federal Cabinet which consisted of 70 members i.e. 32 full ministers and 38 deputy ministers.
He thus commended the Prime Minister for keeping his promise earlier, in introducing a slimmer Federal Cabinet, so as not to inflict substantial financial burden to the nation
Meanwhile, Goh who is also President of The Federation of Chinese Associations Sabah (FCAS) also congratulated all the Full Ministers and Deputy Ministers, on their appointments. They included the five Chinese Full Ministers and the six Chinese Deputy Ministers.
He was also delighted to note that the 11 Chinese Full Ministers and Deputy Ministers are averagely young and with professional background, besides having considerable experience in politics. He acknowledged that the Chinese community has high hope and expectations of them.
He also acknowledged that, besides its multiracial setup, the introduction of the Deputy PM post for East Malaysia, the maintaining of the Sabah and Sarawak Affairs portfolio under the Prime Minister’s Department, and the appointments of Full Ministers and Deputy Ministers from Sabah and Sarawak, fully demonstrated the spirit of a multiracial ‘Malaysian Family’, and it should be fully supported by Malaysians of all races.
He also supported the Prime Minister’s move of appointing six senators for them to become Full Ministers (four) and Deputy Ministers (two). He opined that such a move was necessary for political expediency, under the current circumstances.
He was hopeful that, under the capable leadership of the Prime Minister, the newly-minted Federal Cabinet composed of experienced political leaders from various political parties would be able to ensure political stability, and to steer the nation ahead in the right direction for greater progress and lasting prosperity.
“The new government and the Federal Cabinet should not be thinking of having a ‘honeymoon’ period, but to immediately start working to serve the country and the people,” he concluded.
