PAKATAN Harapan Youth has slammed Prime Minister Datuk Seri Ismail Sabri Yaakob for urging civil servants to defend the Government against any allegations and slander.
Calling the move “inappropriate” coming from the head of the Government, Pakatan Youth said Ismail Sabri’s call raised concerns that it might repeat Barisan Nasional’s (BN) past attitude of misusing civil servants as “propaganda tools” to improve the coalition’s image among the public.
“Bear in mind that civil servants are close to the people as they run agencies such as FELDA, RISDA and KEMAS,” they said in a statement on Friday (Aug 19).
On Tuesday (Aug 16) Ismail Sabri said during a meeting with the staff of the Prime Minister’s Department that it would be apt for civil servants to defend the Government against any allegation and slander that alleged that the government under his administration has failed.
He said that civil servants should defend the Government by looking at him as the head of the Government rather than a political party leader.
“When you defend, do not be political. Do not see me as a political leader, but as the head of the Government and you are a member of the government,” he was quoted as saying by Bernama.
“This government is a joint government, that’s why I introduced the Malaysian Family concept because I want us to think of this government as one family.”
Meanwhile, Pakatan Youth also reminded the Prime Minister of Meta’s findings that linked the police to a “troll farm” aimed at supporting the Government.
“When he calls on civil servants to defend the BN government, then the rakyat will see that Meta’s report could be right,” they pointed out.
They noted that after the fall of the BN/UMNO government in 2018, the Pakatan government had re-enforced a regulation banning civil servants from getting involved in politics to ensure their neutrality in administrative affairs, as stated in the Public Officers (Conduct and Discipline) Regulations 1993.
As such, Pakatan Harapan Youth said Ismail Sabri should have known about the previous directive, adding that the Prime Minister’s latest action could lead to abuse of power.
“Any move to force government staff to defend the BN government must be rejected. Civil servants should stick to the principle of neutrality to ensure smooth delivery of government service even if there is a change in leadership,” they justified. – Aug 19, 2022
