Kenaikan pangkat PTD perlu direvolusi semula

Sumbar : Utusan Online

Pendapat
ISU bantahan daripada kumpulan pendidik terhadap ‘gangguan’ pegawai tadbir dan diplomatik (PTD) ke wilayah mereka bergema lagi. Utusan Malaysia semalam menyiarkan suatu bantahan yang boleh disifatkan sebagai hujah paling kuat setakat ini, iaitu pandangan daripada kumpulan 30 bekas pengarah pelajaran kementerian dan negeri, diketuai oleh Datuk Omar Hashim, bekas Timbalan Ketua Pengarah Pelajaran.

Isu pengisian jawatan-jawatan tinggi dalam mana-mana jabatan kerajaan ini sememangnya menjadi duri dalam daging. Ia sedikit sebanyak mengurangkan motivasi para kakitangan dari sektor perkhidmatan lain yang bukan PTD untuk menyumbang khidmat dengan lebih kuat kepada negara. Mereka sedikit kecewa apabila terpaksa menunggu begitu lama untuk berpindah tangga kenaikan sama ada dari 41 ke 44, dan seterusnya.

Perkara ini bukan sahaja berlaku dalam sektor pendidikan. Sebelum ini, terdapat laporan menyatakan bahawa terdapat para doktor yang berkhidmat di hospital-hospital kerajaan selama sepuluh tahun masih lagi berada di tangga U41.

Dalam laporan yang sama, diberitakan bahawa kerajaan Singapura berminat untuk membuka perjawatan khususnya bagi para doktor dari Universiti Kebangsaan Malaysia dan Universiti Malaya.

Kita semua tahu bahawa untuk memasuki bidang kedoktoran, para pelajar di peringkat Sijil Pelajaran Malaysia dan Sijil Tinggi Persekolahan Malaysia (STPM) akan melalui penyaringan yang sangat ketat. Setelah belajar bertungkus-lumus, mereka pula akan menghadapi proses praktikum yang amat ketat sebelum mendapat kebenaran menjalani profesion mereka. Mereka bekerja berasaskan on call, tanpa mengira masa, siang atau malam.

Berbanding dengan para penjawat PTD ini, mereka biasanya direkrut daripada pelajar jurusan Sastera atau Kemanusiaan di universiti tempatan. Setelah dilatih dalam tempoh tertentu, maka mereka akan bekerja berasaskan waktu pejabat. Tepat loceng berbunyi jam lima petang mereka akan keluar pejabat dan mempunyai masa bersantai-santai di rumah.

Namun demikian, proses kenaikan pangkat mereka amat luar biasa. Setelah tiga atau empat tahun berada dalam tangga gaji 41, mereka akan terus dinaikkan ke tangga 44. Belum sampai 10 tahun berkhidmat, mereka telah mencapai 48, berbanding kakitangan awam dari sektor lain yang mungkin sampai pencen pun masih lagi berada di tangga 44 atau 48.

Apakah alasan kenaikan yang luar biasa cepat ini jika bukan disebabkan konspirasi PTD sesama mereka? Adakah kecemerlangan kerja dan wibawa yang menjadi sandaran kenaikan mereka?

Jika sebelum ini ada pandangan mengatakan bahawa kumpulan ini jumlahnya sedikit dan membentuk kumpulan elitis dalam perkhidmatan awam, sehingga digelar anak emas kerajaan. Persoalannya, adakah disebabkan jumlah yang sedikit maka mereka perlu dinaikkan pangkat dengan begitu pantas? Bilangan doktor tempatan juga sedikit, mengapa mereka tidak mendapat kenaikan secepat PTD?

Memetik semula kata-kata Omar disebabkan kenaikan pangkat yang cepat inilah menjadikan kumpulan PTD sebagai kumpulan yang menghidap sindrom Superiority Complex. Sindrom ‘mahkota yang terlalu berat untuk diletakkan di kepala’ ini, menurut seorang kawan, menjadikan seseorang pegawai PTD menanggung tugas yang tidak sepadan dengan kewibawaannya. Sebahagian mereka gagal menunjukkan sikap atau wibawa yang sepatutnya apabila bermesyuarat dengan para pegawai tinggi di dalam negeri atau luar negara.

Perkara ini sudah menjadi tradisi, dan orang-orang politik nampaknya semacam takut untuk mengusik kumpulan PTD sehingga tidak pernah menyentuh perkara ini di Parlimen. Maka sudah tiba masanya urusan kenaikan pangkat ini direvolusi semula. Orang politik perlu mempunyai keazaman yang tinggi kerana mungkin hanya dengan keazaman politik peringkat tinggi sahaja yang mampu mengubahnya.

Sudah pasti jika dibiarkan dan tidak disemak semula, ia akan menjadi barah kepada negara. Misalnya dengan tawaran yang menarik dari Singapura, bukan sahaja doktor, malah jurutera atau guru yang berkualiti pun mungkin akan berhijrah ke sana.

Pada masa itu, bukan soal patriotik lagi yang akan kita hujahkan. Kadang-kadang, orang akan berhijrah ke padang lain yang lebih hijau, walaupun hati mereka sangat ingin merasa walaupun hujan batu di tempat sendiri.

– ZAINUDIN OMAR,

Sintok, Kedah.

30 bekas pengarah bantah PTD

Sumber : Utusan Online

Pendapat
KAMI yang menandatangani surat ini berasa terdesak dan terpanggil untuk menyuara perasaan dukacita kami atas isu cadangan Kementerian Pelajaran membawa masuk Pegawai Tadbir dan Diplomatik (PTD) ke dalam Jabatan Pendidikan Negeri (JPN).

Isu ini menjadi kontroversi besar dan telah ditolak oleh persatuan dan badan-badan perguruan yang mewakili lebih 500,000 orang guru-guru seluruh negara.

Kami sangat faham dan simpati dengan mereka kerana kami adalah pegawai-pegawai kanan yang pernah mentadbir dan mengurus pendidikan selama puluhan tahun, baik sebagai ketua pengarah atau timbalan ketua pengarah, pengarah bahagian di kementerian ataupun sebagai pengarah-pengarah jabatan negeri. Oleh itu kami bukanlah bercakap mengikut sumber kedua atau ketiga tetapi daripada pengalaman yang meluas dan mendalam dalam soal pengurusan pendidikan secara hand-on di tanah air.

Sejak 50 tahun pentadbiran sistem pelajaran negara telah diurus dengan cekap dan berkesan diterajui bersama di kementerian dan sepenuhnya di negeri oleh pegawai pelajaran dan hasilnya diakui UNESCO sebagai sistem bertaraf dunia dan dijadikan contoh kepada negara lain. Hakikat ini menafikan persepsi PTD bahawa pihak pegawai pelajaran kurang cekap dalam bidang pengurusan, kewangan dan pembangunan pelajaran dan belum pernah satu kajian empirikal dilakukan untuk menguatkan hujah negatif PTD ini.

Kementerian Pendidikan merupakan sebuah kementerian yang integrated atau bersepadu dalam erti kata ia ditadbir oleh dua kelompok perkhidmatan pengurusan iaitu pentadbiran am oleh PTD dan pengurusan profesional oleh pegawai pelajaran (PP). Ada lain-lain kementerian yang juga berbentuk kementerian integrated antaranya, Kementerian Kesihatan dan Kementerian Pertanian. Dari rekod pengalaman sejak zaman Allahyarham Aminuddin Baki lagi, operasi kementerian integrated ini khasnya Kementerian Pendidikan tidak berjalan secara memuaskan. Sering timbul pergeseran di antara PTD dan kumpulan PP dalam soal-soal perbezaan cara perlaksanaan dasar, perspektif pengurusan dan usaha perluasan sayap PTD mengambil alih jawatan-jawatan empuk yang dipegang PP.

Di samping itu, PP selalu berasa pegawai-pegawai PTD bersikap meninggi diri dan memandang rendah walaupun gred jawatan kadang-kadang tidak seberapa apabila melayani pegawai-pegawai kanan bahagian profesional. Ini disebabkan pegawai-pegawai PTD ini tahu bahawa mereka memegang kuasa di dalam bidang kewangan, sumber manusia dan mereka mendapat sokongan daripada agensi pusat. Sikap ‘‘Superiority Complex’’ PTD inilah yang selalu mengeruh hubungan di antara dua golongan itu.

Bidang kewangan dan sumber manusia merupakan portfolio yang amat penting dan amat strategik dalam sesuatu organisasi dan penyandangnya memegang kuasa dan pengaruh yang amat besar. Oleh itu, berdasarkan carta yang dicadangkan kita menjangka pengarah pendidikan akan terpaksa tunduk kepada pegawai-pegawai PTD yang akan cuma menerima arahan daripada KSU ataupun JPA. Ini kerana mereka tahu peningkatan karier mereka atau masa depan periuk nasi mereka bergantung di situ. Dengan cara bypassing pengarah pendidikan, mereka akan melemahkan JPN dan seterusnya kredibiliti pengarah sendiri akan terhakis. Jelas di sini, kita seolah-olah tidak belajar daripada pengalaman suasana ketidakharmonian yang wujud dalam kementerian apabila kerajaan memanjangkan bentuk dan sistem itu ke negeri dengan menjadikan JPN seolah-olah satu mini kementerian bersepadu dengan segala masalah-masalahnya.

Mengembangkan

Usaha PTD mengembangkan sayapnya di kementerian dan Jabatan Pendidikan sudah digerakkan sejak 1970-an lagi, tetapi telah dibantah keras oleh pihak PP. Puluhan memo telah dikirim kepada kerajaan, walaupun beberapa jawatan penting terpaksa kehilangan juga seperti bahagian biasiswa, bahagian luar negeri, jabatan penuntut-penuntut seberang laut, bahagian buku teks dan akhir-akhir sekali (paling buruk dan mendukacitakan) Wakil Tetap UNESCO. Usaha-usaha mengembang sayap ke JPN telah berjaya disanggah sehingga hari ini. Anehnya, semua jawatan yang PTD mahu rebut daripada perkhidmatan profesional adalah jawatan-jawatan naik pangkat ataupun jawatan-jawatan yang dicadang untuk dinaik pangkat. Juga apabila PTD masuk berkhidmat semua pegawai dan staf sokongan akan turut diperuntukkan sebagai pegawai penyokong. Umpamanya, dalam struktur baru JPN, dengan melonggokkan beban tugas yang dulu dijalankan oleh PP, segala pegawai sokongan telah diletakkan termasuk pegawai akauntan sebagai menjustifikasi naik pangkat bagi PTD. Dari segi pandangan kami, cara ini tidaklah adil kerana dengan perjawatan yang lengkap seperti itu, Jabatan Pendidikan tidak perlu mempunyai seorang pegawai PTD. Malahan seorang pegawai kanan pendidikan yang arif mengenai pengurusan pendidikan dan juga mendapat latihan yang secukupnya dan tahu berkenaan environment kerja dapat menjalankan kerja itu dengan lebih licin.

Tentang kedudukan jawatan-jawatan naik pangkat bagi pegawai-pegawai pendidikan adalah tidak benar mengatakan kemasukan pegawai-pegawai PTD tidak merugikan peluang naik pangkat bagi pegawai PP. Sebenarnya, peluang naik pangkat bagi PP amat kecil sekali apabila dibandingkan dengan nisbah naik pangkat pegawai PTD kerana bilangan pegawai PP begitu besar sekali.

Akhir sekali, kami meminta kerajaan tidak harus memandang ringan seruan dan suara hati masyarakat guru yang bilangannya dan kepentingannya begitu besar. Mereka memain peranan penting dalam masyarakat, dan telah menjadi penyokong yang setia kepada kerajaan dan parti kerajaan. Sekarang ini pun, ramai daripada mereka, baik yang berkhidmat mahupun yang bersara memendam perasaan ‘‘kecil hati’’ dan dukacita yang amat atas beberapa program baru dalam pelaksanaan dasar pendidikan kebangsaan. Kami berharap hasrat kerajaan terkini ini tidak akan menambah luka di hati mereka.

* KUMPULAN 30 bekas Pengarah Pelajaran Kementerian dan Negeri diketuai oleh Datuk Omar Hashim, bekas Timbalan Ketua Pengarah Pelajaran

Polygamous civil servants told to declare marriages

By : Hamidah Atan and Deborah Loh, NST

PUTRAJAYA: Public servants with more than one wife are advised to declare their marriages to avoid problems that may crop up when payment of pension or gratuity is made following their demise.

Public Service Department corporate and communications head Hasniah Rashid said there had been cases of civil servants who died, leaving behind "long-standing conflicts" among their wives.

"They are encouraged to make the declaration to their respective heads of department. If anything happens to them, we know who to get in touch with and the right amount of pension to be paid to the wives."

She was asked whether it was compulsory for civil servants with more than one wife to make such a declaration.

Hasniah said there had been cases where PSD had to revise payment of pension after the "sudden" appearance of a second or third wife, who also demanded for their husband’s pension.
She, however, did not give the statistics, saying that "there are cases".

She also said it was up to the discretion of the heads of department or agency to make the declaration compulsory.

"As far as the PSD is concerned, we only encourage that declaration be made to avoid tussles or disputes between the wives."

Meanwhile, Customs director-general Datuk Seri Abdul Rahman Abdul Hamid said it was not mandatory for Custom officers with more than one wife to make the declaration.

"However, they are encouraged to declare so that it will be easier for the department to plan transfers on humanitarian ground.

"We want to be considerate to their families. We want to be humane and not separate the families," he said.

A source with the department said a Customs officer, who was arrested by the Thai authorities last week for allegedly trying to smuggle four Myanmars into Thailand, had three wives.

The source said the department was investigating whether the officer had been "doing this" as his side income to maintain his wives.

Investigations revealed that the officer had thought that with a mere wave of his hand, he could smuggle his "cargo" into Thailand. But the Thai Immigration authorities became suspicious upon seeing six men in the car.

Their suspicions were confirmed when they found the officer and another Malaysian trying to smuggle four Myanmars into Thailand.

The 50-year-old Customs officer and his 47-year-old accomplice spent one day in a Thai jail.

The officer, who is based at the Customs, Immigration and Quarantine Complex at Bukit Kayu Hitam, Kedah has been suspended pending further investigations, and the state Customs Department would submit a report on the incident to the headquarters here soon.



The Congress of the Civil Service Unions (Cuepacs) welcomes any move to make civil servants with more than one wife to declare their marriages.

Its president, Omar Osman, said Cuepacs was all for the move.

"It is not fair for us to stop them from taking another wife but they should declare their status so that pension, gratuity or the Employees Provident Fund (EPF) can be divided fairly among the wives. This also helps to avoid misunderstandings."

Omar also said PSD had other things to do than waste its time carrying out revisions on the payment to be made to the wives of civil servants who did not declare.

"If they want to marry again and again, but they don’t pose any problem to the PSD or civil service, then it should be okay. But the problem is those who take another wife and create a lot of problems for others.

"Those with more than one wife must be made to declare. It is only fair for them to do so to avoid inconveniencing others."

Why recruit followers when you can get leaders?

Source : Syed Nazri NST

THE Foreign Ministry, which is going on a massive recruitment drive, is apparently not the only governing body that is facing an acute staff shortage.

Its counterpart, on agriculture and agro-based industries, is facing a similar problem.

And much of it, it seems, is due to the repositioning of agriculture as one of the engines of growth in the Malaysian economy.

Minister in charge, Tan Sri Muhyiddin Yassin, lamented the situation during a dinner with editors the other day, saying that the thrust of agricultural development lay in the availability of knowledge and skills, particularly in the latest technologies related to the sector.

Those days, he said, the country counted on the agriculture college and later the agriculture university (Universiti Pertanian Malaysia or UPM) to play that role.

Then, there was a shift in policy and Malaysia was looking towards industrialisation and manufacturing as its base and no longer wanted too much emphasis on agriculture.

As a result, the role of UPM switched, too, as reflected in its change in name to Universiti Putra Malaysia. It began to produce very few graduates in agriculture since students saw little prospect in the course.

"Now we are back to looking at agriculture and we have to find the necessary expertise," he said.

"It’s like steering a big ship which is changing course. It’s a big task and never easy. But we have to do it."

According to the minister, about 110,000 trained officers are required by 2010, while the training institutes can only produce about 4,000 graduates a year.

And on the subject of vacancies in the Foreign Ministry, I have received many responses to my column on the matter last week.

One of them came from a Malaysian student in the United States who signed off as Suriani Kempe.

She said she was interested in applying but was unhappy that she couldn’t make any headway in contacting the right people.

"I’ve checked online on the government’s website — but it’s not exactly the most up-to-date or forthcoming, especially with regard to an urgent drive to recruit," she said.

Another was from Nurol Latif who questioned the whole process and system. Among other things, she said: "I have trained and equipped myself to fit the description of a young ambassador.

"But despite amusing people during my table topic speeches, being moderately knowledgeable in all areas and also physically fit for any situation, I was challenged by those who were far more beautiful, with high connections in the government or maybe those who would be deemed to be followers of the said government practice, not those who are considered a breath of fresh air, bringing more positive vibes and contemporary productive working culture to the government force.

"It dawned on me that, actually, my friends who had questioned my motives in joining the civil service were right.

"The government obviously either has poor selection or recruiting abilities, especially in determining the diamonds in the rough, or it actually wants to recruit followers and not leaders.

"My friends are equally if not better than me and are the bright ones who opted not to join the civil service because they fret that it will never change."

So there you are, Wisma Putra.

Pegawai skim lain layak laksana tugas PTD

SU Pegawai Tadbir dan Diplomatik (PTD) masih hangat diperkatakan di kalangan kakitangan awam. Ramai menyokong dan ramai juga yang membantah.

Saya kira isu ketidakpuasan hati kakitangan awam terhadap PTD sudah lama berlaku di sektor awam. Cuma ia tidak begitu ditonjolkan kerana kebanyakan kerusi pengurusan ditakluki oleh PTD.

Memang benar PTD dilatih sedemikian rupa menerusi program Diploma Pengurusan Awam dan juga program lain seperti ‘Outbound School’, Undang-Undang, Pusat Latihan Tentera Darat (Pulada) bagi memantapkan kepakaran dan ketahanan fizikal dan mental.

Saya ingin merujuk surat pembaca ‘Pegawai Skim F’ cuba merungkai ketidakpuasan hatinya terhadap PTD yang dikatakan cuba memonopoli kedudukan atasan.

Apabila kita memasuki universiti dan memilih bidang sains, kita harap apabila tamat pengajian, kita akan menjadi orang nombor satu dalam organisasi, tetapi apa yang terjadi adalah sebaliknya. Kedudukan nombor satu sentiasa dipenuhi golongan bukan profesional dalam bidang sains atau bidang khusus.

Sebagai contoh, Pegawai Skim F adalah Kumpulan Skim Perkhidmatan Sistem Maklumat. Kelulusan minimum untuk menjawat jawatan Pegawai Sistem Maklumat dan PTD adalah sama iaitu sarjana muda, tetapi gaji permulaan kedua-dua skim ini berbeza sedangkan bidang teknologi maklumat adalah bidang sains berbanding bidang sastera yang diperoleh PTD.

Sejak awal lagi sudah ketara proses menganaktirikan itu berlaku apatah lagi pada masa akan datang. Sebagai pemegang Sarjana Muda Sains Komputer, mereka juga mempelajari ilmu pengurusan dan pentadbiran ketika di universiti.

Jika Diploma Pengurusan Awam dan program lain yang dipelajari PTD diberikan kepada pegawai skim lain, saya pasti sektor awam dapat menghasilkan pegawai profesional dalam bidang mereka di samping berhemah dalam pengurusan dan pentadbiran jabatan atau organisasi.

Tidak salah rasanya jika saya katakan tugas PTD adalah rencam. Ramai PTD menyatakan mereka pentadbir elit dan komited dengan tugas dan tanggungjawab, tetapi isunya berapa ramai yang bersikap begitu?

Jika mereka benar-benar elit dan berkaliber, kenapa ramai pegawai skim lain tidak puas hati? PTD adalah penggubal dasar yang sepatutnya memikirkan keseluruhan penjawat awam bukan hanya golongan yang berada dalam lingkungan persatuan PTD.

Kajian menyeluruh, jitu dan telus perlu dilakukan pihak bertanggungjawab yang tidak berada di dalam mana-mana skim perkhidmatan kerajaan terutama PTD.

Ramai guru pada masa kini mempunyai kelulusan sarjana muda sama seperti PTD. Saya yakin guru masa kini mempunyai ilmu dalam pengurusan dan pentadbiran. Dalam mentadbir dan menguruskan jabatan dari segi belanjawan, pembangunan infrastruktur, sumber manusia dan sebagainya, pegawai yang pernah menjawat jawatan guru mempunyai lebih banyak maklumat dari segi selok-belok jabatan.

JURUTERA SISTEM KANAN,
Dengkil, Selangor.

Handphones, PDAs shut out

Source: The Star

By SIM LEOI LEOI

PUTRAJAYA: A no handphones or PDAs in “security areas” rule has been enforced at all Government departments to prevent spying.

To further enhance protection of vital information, key administrative areas and places where official matters are discussed have been designated as “information security zones.”

Some of these zones have been installed with electronic jamming devices to prevent unauthorised communication or transmission of data and images.

The moves come in the wake of Chief Secretary to the Government Tan Sri Mohamed Sidek Hassan’s circular which warned that these devices could be used for “spying purposes”, such as the capturing of images and recording of information.

“No control of these devices and protection from misuse, can lead to negative implications to the country’s economy, national security, functions and the image of the Government.

“As everybody knows, these handphones and communication devices have become necessary items for people working in all government agencies.

“The widespread use of these devices, especially handphones with camera facilities, have serious implications on security. These devices can be abused to gather or even transmit information in any form, including unauthorised data or digital images,” he said in the Jan 31 circular to state secretaries and heads of departments, agencies and local councils.

Mohamed Sidek urged department heads to take caution and limit the use of the devices.

He also asked them to identify premises, rooms or places being used to administer or discuss official matters as “information security zones.”

In the circular, the chief secretary also warned civil servants not to misuse their phones to record matters, particularly those protected under the Official Secrets Act.

Department heads, he said, should warn those attending meetings, where issues affecting the country are discussed, not to breach confidentiality rules directly or indirectly.

The circular also directed that visitors were to be reminded of the ban through posters and notices put up at the security zones and to consider installing equipment to jam communication at such places.

When contacted, Chief Security Officer Johari Jamaluddin said there had been no security breach nor any leak of sensitive information to Internet sites.

”We had never felt the need to come up with such a ban before because the use of camera handphones and other electronic devices was not rampant. Now, everyone seems to have them,” he said.

“It is a bit inconvenient but for the sake of the country’s security, everyone has to play their role,” he said confirming that some rooms in departments had been installed with “jammers.” He declined to reveal where they were.

A rise civil service won’t like

Source : NST
By : Lee Shi-Ian

KUALA LUMPUR: This is one increase the civil service can do without.

In the first three months of this year, police have detained 42 government employees who tested positive for drugs.

This is almost half of the 88 civil servants caught for the same offence the whole of last year.

For drug possession, the number, though, is not that alarming.

In the first quarter of the year, only 14 were caught compared with 130 last year.
According to statistics released by federal police, those arrested this year included staff from the Education, Agriculture, Health and Home Affairs Ministries.

Federal Narcotics Department director Datuk Abang Abdul Wahap Abang Julai said police had notified the ministries and agencies of their staff’s misdemeanour.

"If a civil servant is tested positive or illicit drugs are found in his possession, a letter will be sent to his superior," he said.

Under the regulations, the Public Service Department (PSD) can terminate the service of any civil servant taking, or in possession of, illicit drugs.

Abdul Wahap said the civil servants had also been charged in court.

Some cases have been disposed with fines imposed while others were freed on police bail while awaiting sentence.

He said many of those who failed the urine test had taken ganja and amphetamine-type stimulants like Ecstasy or Erimin 5.

"This is something to be viewed seriously as police have a battle on two fronts, against traffickers and within the civil service."

Almost all those arrested were casual users but Abdul Wahap said this did not diminish the seriousness of their action.

He said several policemen had also tested positive for drug abuse, adding the police disciplinary committee had meted out the appropriate action.

A PSD spokesman said disciplinary action would be taken by department heads against employees involved in drugs.

"Copies of the action taken will be forwarded to us and the chief secretary to the government," he said.

On Tuesday, deputy Sabah police commissioner SAC (I) Sidin Abdul Karim expressed worry over the growing number of civil servants arrested for drug-related offences in the state..

The first quarter of this year has seen the arrest of 16 civil servants compared with only one case in the same period last year.

The number of those arrested for possession has also tripled with 15 picked up this year compared with five last year.