Zam riled by favouritism

The Star

KUALA LUMPUR: Some staff members of the Information Ministry were given extra points in their appraisal due to favouritism, its Information Minister Datuk Seri Zainuddin Maidin complained.

He said he was disappointed to find that some of the staff had been given higher than average points for the Excellent Service Award.

He said there had been cases where the marks given for the appraisal were not based on performance.

“There were cases where the officers were not fair when making the appraisals,” he told the press after presenting 632 staff with the Excellent Service Award 2006 here yesterday.

The recipients were given RM1,000 and a certificate each.

The issue was highlighted after the Ministry’s secretary-general Datuk Siti Balkish Shariff said that some staff who were “problematic with average performance, were still given unreasonably high marks.”

“There have also been cases where personal sentiments have influenced the assessment, so much so that the marks do not reflect the actual performance,” she said.

She added, however, that the number of such cases was fewer than 10 cases for the 2006 award.

“I have reviewed their appraisals and have omitted them from the award,” she said.

Zainuddin also said he wanted his ministry staff to adopt a corporate attitude when it comes to work.

“In the corporate world, they emphasise efficiency, quality of work and there is more initiative from the workers,” he said.