Kementerian Luar Masih Kurang Penjawat Awam Bukan Bumiputera - Lee

IPOH, 2 Okt (Bernama) -- Kementerian Luar menganjurkan pelbagai program dan ceramah mengenai kerjaya di kementerian itu dalam usaha menarik minat orang ramai menyertainya khususnya bukan Bumiputera, kata Timbalan Menterinya Datuk Lee Chee Leong.

Beliau berkata masalah kurang minat di kalangan kaum bukan Bumiputera untuk menyertai sektor awam telah menjejaskan usaha kementerian untuk merapatkan jurang komposisi kaum di kementerian itu.

"Masalah ini berpunca dari kurangnya maklumat mengenai kerjaya di kementerian ini dan mungkin kerana mereka tidak mengetahui cara untuk menyertai kami.

"Oleh itu, kita (kementerian) mengadakan siri ceramah dan berbagai-bagai program untuk menarik minat kaum belia dan pelajar sekolah mengenai kerjaya di kementerian ini," katanya dalam sidang akhbar selepas merasmikan Program Diplomasi Awam kementerian itu di sini Jumaat.

Lee berkata program itu bertujuan menyebarkan maklumat kepada orang ramai mengenai peluang kerjaya dengan kementerian itu yang memberi peluang kepada penjawat awam bertugas di luar negara.

Beliau berkata secara keseluruhannya progam berkenaan bertujuan meyakinkan orang awam untuk menyertai Wisma Putra dalam usahanya meningkatkan imej dan tanggapan yang baik mengenai negara di mata dunia.

"Kepada sesiapa yang berminat menyertai kami diminta melayari laman web di www.kln.gov.my untuk mendapatkan maklumat mengenai tempat dan masa temuduga terbuka diadakan,"katanya.

Selain kelulusan akademik, Lee berkata, calon yang fasih dalam bahasa Inggeris atau mana-mana bahasa lain mempunyai kelebihan untuk diterima menyertai kementerian yang mempunyai pejabat perwakilan di seluruh dunia.

Program Diplomasi Awam itu yang kedua dianjurkan selepas diadakan di Membakut, Sabah pada Ogos lalu yang bertujuan memberikan pemahaman lebih mendalam kepada orang ramai mengenai fungsi dan peranan Wisma Putra.

-- BERNAMA

Wujudkan Atase Bahasa Melayu Di Kedutaan Malaysia Di Luar Negara

JOHOR BAHARU, 28 Sept (Bernama) -- Kementerian Luar pada Isnin dicadang supaya mewujudkan Atase Bahasa Melayu di kedutaan Malaysia di luar negara sebagai usaha mengembangkan Bahasa Melayu sebagai bahasa dunia.

Menteri Besar Johor Datuk Abdul Ghani Othman berkata pegawai tersebut bukan sahaja perlu dilengkapkan dengan ilmu Bahasa Melayu bahkan ilmu mengenai kebudayaan Melayu.

"Pegawai ini akan membantu Atase Pelajaran, Ekonomi dan Ketenteraan. Tugas mereka ialah membuka kelas Bahasa Melayu di Kedutaan Malaysia, yang dengan cara itu Bahasa Melayu akan berkembang sebagai bahasa dunia," katanya ketika menyampaikan ucaptama pada persidangan antarabangsa "Bahasa Melayu Bahasa Dunia", di sini, pada Isnin.

Persidangan tersebut dianjurkan Akademi Pengajian Melayu Universiti Malaya, Fakulti Bahasa Universiti Sultan Idris dan Dewan Bahasa dan Pustaka dengan kerjasama Yayasan Warisan Johor.

Abdul Ghani berkata untuk permulaan, atase berkenaan boleh ditempatkan di Kedutaan Malaysia di Bangkok dan pejabat Konsul Malaysia di Songkhla, Thailand selain di Sri Lanka, Afrika Selatan, Filipina dan Kemboja.

"Di tempat ini terdapat orang Melayu golongan perantau. Bahasa Melayu mereka adalah Bahasa Melayu kacukan dengan bahasa setempat. Sekiranya dapat dimajukan bidang Bahasa Melayu sebagai bahasa kedua, maka semua Melayu perantauan dapat bertutur dengan Bahasa Melayu yang betul," katanya.

Selain itu, beliau berkata Bahasa Melayu juga perlu dijadikan bahasa di Pertubuhan Bangsa-Bangsa Bersatu (PBB) dengan semua pemimpin negara serumpun diharapkan memiliki keberanian untuk memulakan ucapan mereka di dalam Bahasa Melayu di PBB.

"Tan Sri Razali Ismail semasa menjadi wakil tetap Malaysia di PBB telah buat pertama kalinya berucap di dalam Bahasa Melayu. Gabungan dan hasrat negara serumpun perlu disatukan supaya terdapat usaha bersama merealisasikan hasrat ini," katanya.

Beliau berkata, walaupun, Malaysia, Indonesia dan Brunei bukannya negara kuasa besar, namun, jumlah penutur yang hampir 350 juta orang memberi kekuatan untuk mencapai hasrat berkenaan.

-- BERNAMA

Wisma Putra Buka Pejabat Cawangan Di Sabah, Sarawak

KOTA KINABALU, 27 Jun (Bernama) -- Wisma Putra akan membuka dua pejabat cawangannya di Sabah dan Sarawak bagi menyediakan khidmat konsul.

Ketika mengumumkan perkara itu hari ini, Menteri Luar Datuk Anifah Aman berkata pejabat di Kota Kinabalu serta Kuching diwujudkan bagi kemudahan penduduk Sabah dan Sarawak yang pada masa ini terpaksa melakukan perjalanan ke Semenanjung Malaysia untuk mendapatkan khidmat Wisma Putra.

Katanya, beliau telah pun memaklumkan kepada kedua-dua Ketua Menteri (Sabah dan Sarawak) mengenai rancangan untuk membuka pejabat cawangan itu dan kedua-dua pemimpin itu gembira dengan perkembangan berkenaan.

Beliau bercakap kepada pemberita selepas menganjurkan jamuan tengah hari bagi raikan 105 diplomat Malaysia yang menghadiri Persidangan Ketua-ketua Perwakilan yang bermula di Kuala Lumpur pada 18 Jun dan berakhir di Kota Kinabalu semalam.

Anifah berkata pejabat cawangan itu akan menghulurkan bantuan kepada pejabat protokol yang berkenaan dalam perkara berkaitan lawatan kenamaan asing ke kedua-dua negeri itu.

Beliau berkata ruang pejabat yang bersesuaian telah pun dikenal pasti untuk penubuhan pejabat cawangan di kedua-dua ibu negeri itu dan di Sabah, pertimbangan dibuat bagi menempatkannya di pejabat pentadbiran persekutuan di Likas.

Kepada soalan mengenai tarikh pelantikan duta Malaysia ke Amerika Syarikat (AS), Anifah berkata kerajaan menjangkakan Washington memberi kelulusan dalam masa tiga hingga empat minggu lagi.

Ditanya sama ada ketiadaan seorang duta menjadi penghalang kepada hubungan dua hala, terutamanya dalam rundingan kedua-dua negara untuk menyerahkan kembali dua rakyat Malaysia yang ditahan di Teluk Guantanamo, Anifah berkata ia bukan satu masalah memandangkan perkara itu telah pun dibincangkan oleh Perdana Menteri Datuk Seri Najib Tun Razak dan Presiden Barack Obama.

"Saya fikir jika mereka (Amerika Syarikat) menyelesaikan perkara itu, mereka akan memaklumkan kepada kita. Kita akan berhubungan dengan Jabatan Negara (AS) untuk melihat kemajuannya," katanya sambil menambah Malaysia bersedia menerima kedua-dua tahanan itu, dan jika perlu, akan mengadakan siasatan lanjut, atas apa jua dakwaan yang dikenakan.

-- BERNAMA

Kementerian Luar Terima Kritikan Dengan Hati Terbuka

DAMSYIK, 25 Mei (Bernama) -- Menteri Luar Datuk Anifah Aman berkata beliau menerima kritikan terhadap kementerian dan para pegawainya dengan fikiran terbuka kerana kemungkinan ia boleh menjadi satu pengajaran.

Beliau berkata kementerian itu menerima kritikan, komen dan idea yang konstruktif kerana keseluruhan objektifnya adalah bagi meningkatkan imej dan perkhidmatannya.

"Masih ada ruang untuk menjadi bertambah baik. Saya tidak berkata bahawa mereka tidak bagus. Apa yang saya katakan ialah kita mahu membawanya ke tingkat yang lebih baik (ke arah mencapai kecemerlangan).

"Jadi saya akan melihat kepada setiap satu kritikan, dan mungkin ada sesuatu yang boleh kita pelajari daripadanya," katanya kepada Bernama di luar daripada sesi Majlis Menteri-menteri Luar (CFM) Pertubuhan Persidangan Islam (OIC) ke-36 yang dihoskan oleh Syria.

Anifah telah diminta mengulas berhubung surat yang dilaporkan oleh sebuah akhbar harian Malaysia berbahasa Inggeris baru-baru ini berhubung apa yang disifatkan sebagai "keadaan yang amat buruk" di kementerian.

Penulis itu mendakwa, antara lain, bahawa banyak pegawai kementerian luar dan duta-duta besar tidak mencapai mutu tertentu.

Anifah berkata: "Kami perlu menerima kritikan itu secara positif. Sekarang, ia mengenai negara kita, ia bukan mengenai kita sebagai individu."

-- BERNAMA

DIPLOMATIC DEALINGS: Reclaiming our image and esteem

NST

WHEN I covered Tun Dr Mahathir Mohamad's visit to the United Nations in 1993, I was surprised that New York taxi drivers knew his name or were aware that a country called Malaysia existed.

Tun Omar Ong Yoke Lin

Datuk Albert Talalla

Much of that came about because of the former prime minister's international profile as the leader of the South -- asking for no quarter and giving none.

Even as Dr Mahathir took a tough stance on most issues, Tun Abdullah Ahmad Badawi had his softer style as foreign minister which worked in tandem with his boss' ways.

Their styles constituted an unbeatable combination that took Malaysia places, taking the nation to the apex of international opinion and influence.

While the two leaders were working their magic on the global arena, there was a corp of dedicated and astute diplomatic officials working behind the scene to deliver the goods.
They were Malaysian ambassadors, a group of people hand-picked to bring glory and honour to the nation.

There were the likes of the jocular Tan Sri Khir Johari, a charmer who could have people eating out of his hands in minutes, the quick-witted Datuk Abdul Majid Mohamed (Malaysian ambassador to Washington in the early 1990s), and quieter but no less interesting Tan Sri Razali Ismail, who was the Malaysian Permanent Representative to the UN.

Together, they had the ears of the people who mattered in Washington and New York, their sophistication in matters of diplomacy added to natural congeniality resulting in a potent mix that few could resist.

They were plenipotentiaries of Malaysia, the likes of whom, I am told, may not be seen for sometime to come.

It, therefore, comes as a shock to know that Malaysia has not had an ambassador in Washington for 10 months and that little headway has been made in bringing Malaysia in touch with the Obama administration (Barack Obama has been in office for 100 days).

Former Malaysian ambassador, Datuk Deva Mohd Ridzam, had call to lament this sad state of affairs recently, calling for the situation to be put right post-haste.

His observation that foreign relations have been little short of lacklustre over the last decade ties in with opinion among several retired diplomats and former civil servants who have decried the loss of a strong foreign policy.

Some of this had to do with the quality of men and women selected to head our missions, what with complaints from some that Malaysian diplomats sometimes preferred to take a backseat at public discussions.

There have also been observations that some diplomats cringed at the thought of interacting with foreigners due to a lack of confidence brought about by a paucity in social skills and lack of fluency in English.

Centre for Public Policy Studies chairman at the Asian Strategy and Leadership Institute, Tan Sri Ramon Navaratnam, felt that there was a crying need for better people to get into foreign service.

The former Transport Ministry secretary-general said diplomats needed to be fluent in English, have excellent social skills and be on the ball where knowledge of international relations was required.

Former member of the Malaysian diplomatic corp, Datuk Nelson Arputham, said he was among several recruited into the diplomatic service from other departments in the 1960s.

Arputham said the diplomatic service should recruit only the best minds as was the case after independence.

"We had the likes of Tun Ong Yoke Lin, who was one of the best ambassadors to the US (concurrently United Nations), who is known to have had excellent ties with the US media and administration."

There were others like Tan Sri Ahmad Kamil Jaafar, Datuk Albert Talalla (former ambassador to the US), and Tan Sri Mohamed Khatib Abdul Hamid who headed the mission in Tokyo .

All this leaves new Foreign Minister, Datuk Anifah Aman, with a lot on his plate.

He has to sit down with his officers and review foreign policy initiatives with a view towards making it consistent, effective and helpful to the nation. In the worst of economic times like this, our men and women in missions abroad must shine in identifying opportunities for the nation to exploit.

They can also play an effective role in helping Prime Minister Datuk Seri Najib Razak and Anifah come up with policies that meet the needs of foreign nations in the economic, social and political spheres.

In a nutshell, isn't this, after all, why they are abroad representing the nation?

Anifah has also got to look into Najib's call to Wisma Putra to look outside the diplomatic service for the best minds. The prime minister was crystal clear when he said that the civil service should hire the "best of the best".

Anifah should take the cue to cast his net far and wide. He should then set about raising the stature of the diplomatic service to be on par with the best in the world -- like we were before. He needs to relook things with a critical eye aimed at taking Wisma Putra back to where it was before ennui took over.

It is imperative that the Wisma Putra team (it has to be a joint effort) puts its best foot forward to reclaim lost territory abroad in terms of image and esteem. And what better time than now with a new minister in office?

bmoses@nst.com.my

What our embassies can do

The Star

I REFER to the report Growing bigger, but at what cost? (The Star, Nov 16).

I agree that the Government needs to review its policies and plans on the maintenance of embassies and consulates.

The increase in cost follows ithe expanded role of the country in the international arena. The Government needs to ascertain the Return on Investment (ROI) of these missions, quantifying the value of their contribution to the country in ringgit and sen.

A certain percentage of the ROI should and could be used to support the institutions, making them self-sustaining.

Another is to identify specific measures to reduce cost without compromising the performance of the institutions.

The Government should also consider turning the missions into one-stop centres for tourism and agriculture. Look also at advances made in communications technology to centralise backroom operations.

The Government also needs to look into the productivity aspects to raise and maximise it to offset the high costs.

ISKANDAR Z. GHAZALI,
Shah Alam.

Growing bigger, but at what cost?

The Star

Comment by MERGAWATI ZULFAKAR

With the massive expansion of the foreign service, Wisma Putra is facing financial constraints and human resources pressure. Is it time for the Government to re-look its expansion plan?

THERE is a group of Malaysian diplomats waiting for their posting orders. One or two may be reluctant to go for personal reasons.

But that number is in the minority as for many diplomats, serving overseas is something they look forward to.

»There is insufficient allocation to maintain buildings and increase allowances« DATUK JOSEPH SALANG GANDUM, DEPUTY FOREIGN MINISTER

After all, that is what they are paid for – to guard the nation’s interests at their foreign posts.

It is a chance of a lifetime to work and live in another country since very few Malaysians will have that experience.

Secondly, there is the overseas allowance.

Ask any Wisma Putra staff – Japan tops the list of countries they want to be posted to because the allowance, said to be in the five-figure range for the ambassador, is the highest among the 104 missions and consulates that Malaysia currently has.

But Tokyo is one of the most expensive cities in the world.

In cities like Moscow, Teheran and London, the cost of living has skyrocketed but the overseas allowances for these cities have not been adjusted.

Are our diplomats poorly paid? That seems to be the impression that some of our MPs have, based on their travels overseas.

Kinabatangan MP Datuk Bung Mokhtar Radin related in Parliament of an embarrassing experience overseas when the Malaysian embassy car that he was travelling in broke down on the way from the airport.

What he may not realise is that the car may not belong to the diplomat but is an embassy car, which means it belongs to the Government.

Official cars should be replaced every five years. That is on paper but more often than not most government cars are replaced much later.

What the MP may not be aware of is the fact that Wisma Putra, despite its big role at the international level, remains one of the smallest ministries in terms of budget allocation.

This year, the Foreign Ministry got RM683mil – RM83mil more than the year before.

Compare that with the Tourism Ministry which will get RM858mil next year.

For the Visit Malaysia Year 2007 programme, it was allocated RM149mil.

In countries where Malaysia has diplomatic presence simply to maintain relations the situation can be quite pathetic.

Even the local staff has not had a salary increment in years.

A local serving in a South Asian mission working as a clerk with three years experience earns about RM700.

Justify – that is what the Treasury insists on every time there is a request for a review in allowance or budget.

Even a request to replace an embassy car involves a study to compare what other Asean countries are using. This takes time.

The question is, with over 100 missions, does Wisma Putra need to expand further? All these years, apart from trade purposes, political reasons like promoting South-South cooperation or Organisation of Islamic Conference networking were good enough for Malaysia to establish its missions.

Sometimes it is for reciprocal purposes – when a country opens its mission in Malaysia, the Government is expected to do the same.

Massive expansion has eaten into the Foreign Ministry’s budget and is straining its resources, thus it is not uncommon to hear grouses of repair works not being undertaken simply because there aren't enough funds.

As Deputy Foreign Minister Datuk Joseph Salang Gandum told Parliament, there was insufficient allocation to maintain buildings and increase allowances.

The ministry applied for RM10mil but only got RM4mil.

It may not be practical to just shut down a mission, except in times of war like in Iraq.

So Wisma Putra needs to carefully consider before further spreading its wings.

Where regions are concerned, Central Asia, Latin America and Africa are places where Wisma Putra could have a head of mission accredited to several countries.

As for making things financially better for our diplomats, there is hope yet.

After more than three years since the last revision, the ministry is asking for new rates for overseas allowances and hoping to implement it by the first quarter of 2008.

But will the overall budget for the ministry be increased substantially?

The MPs have raised issues affecting Wisma Putra, but is the Treasury paying any heed?

Gempar kiriman antraks

Berita Harian

Oleh Azrina Ahzan dan Mohd Hamizar Hamid

Ketua Protokol Wisma Putra terima serbuk putih dikuarantin

PUTRAJAYA: Jabatan Kecemasan, Hospital Putrajaya semalam gempar selepas seorang pegawai kanan Wisma Putra memaklumkan beliau menerima bungkusan dipercayai mengandungi bakteria antraks.

Ketua Protokol Wisma Putra, Datuk Zakaria Sulong, dan anggota keluarganya yang menjalani pemeriksaan di hospital itu tengah malam semalam, dikuarantinkan sebagai langkah berjaga-jaga.

Jabatan Kecemasan hospital itu juga ditutup kepada orang ramai sejak 1 pagi semalam sebelum dibuka semula tengah hari semalam.

Ketua Polis Daerah Putrajaya, Pemangku Superintendan Abdul Razak Abdul Majid, ketika ditemui di hospital itu mengesahkan mangsa menerima bungkusan bertulis. Dengan Ingatan Tulus Ikhlas� yang dihantar ke pejabatnya.

Bagaimanapun, katanya, mangsa hanya membuka bungkusan itu di rumahnya di Presint 11 di sini, kira-kira jam 10 malam selepas selesai menunaikan solat Tarawih.

Ketika membuka bungkusan itu mangsa mendapati ia mengandungi serbuk putih. Beliau terus memasukkan bungkusan itu ke dalam bekas apabila mengesyaki sesuatu tidak kena.

Selepas dimaklumkan, polis terus menghantar Pasukan Hazmat ke rumah mangsa sebagai langkah berjaga-jaga, katanya sambil menambah sampel serbuk itu dihantar ke Institut Penyelidikan Haiwan (VRI) di Ipoh, Perak, untuk diuji.

Antraks adalah bakteria Bacillus Anthracis yang berjangkit dan menyerang haiwan berdarah panas, termasuk manusia. Tahap keracunan bakteria itu amat tinggi sehingga ia juga digunakan sebagai senjata biologi sejak 80 tahun lalu.

Sementara itu, sumber berkata, sebanyak tiga bungkusan dihantar ke Wisma Putra, kelmarin iaitu masing-masing kepada Ketua Setiausaha, Timbalan Ketua Setiausaha, dan Zakaria oleh sebuah kedutaan asing di Kuala Lumpur.

Bagaimanapun, hanya Zakaria yang sudah membuka bungkusan berkenaan.

Sementara itu, Ketua Pengarah Kesihatan, Tan Sri Ismail Merican, ketika dihubungi petang semalam mengesahkan serbuk putih dalam bungkusan yang berisi halwa itu bukan antraks.

Sebenarnya tidak apa-apa, ia hanya serbuk dalam bungkusan halwa, katanya.

Berikutan itu, Zakaria dan keluarganya dibenarkan pulang petang semalam.

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.