Is this incredible or what? The White House employs 1,888 staff, but Malaysia’s Prime Minister’s Department has 43,554 employees.
There is also a similar disparity in their respective budgets. The White House’s budget is US$394 million for 2011.
Have a look at the White House website here.
Compare that with the PM’s Dept budget of RM4 billion or is that RM12 billion?
The vast difference is partly down to the whole array of departments, agencies, and what-have-you under the Prime Minister’s Department.
Have a look at the organisation chart for the PM’ Department on its official website here.
You will see a whole list of set-ups under the PM’s office, ranging from Felda (in the news lately), Suhakam (so much for its independence), the National Audit Department (independent?), Biro Tatanegara(!), Elections Commission (independent?), anti-corruption commission (independent?), the Maritime Enforcement Agency, EPU…
Shouldn’t some of these be independent of the PM’s Department and answerable to Parliament instead?
Why this centralisation of power?
Thanks to masterwordsmith’s blog for some of this info.
The civil servant in Malaysia is bloated because it has to take in those unemployed local graduates who could not meet the requirements of private sector.
Many of them have only diploma-type of qualification but the government has certified them as ‘degree’. No offence to UiTM that has campus mushrooming all over the country, like a factory churning out goods at low cost.
These local graduates like to work in Civil Service because productivity is not emphasized when a simple tasks can be carried out by many people. So the work environment is like a country club.
So the vicious cycle continue.
As a result, the civil service is in-breeding inefficiency and low productivity. It is very laughable when the civil service is beginning to promote 5S, ISO, quality circles… when such initiative are old buzz-words of the 80′s i.e. the mentality is 30 years behind those progressive nation like Singapore.
But UMNO like it this way because the civil servant with their iron ricebowl will guarantee them votes in the GE.
Enough said.
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This is unfair comparison like comparing kiwi and durian.
At least Malaysia don’t go to war by misleading the world. Oh please, continue praising your idol country the USA for her involvement in Iraq + Afghanistan wars.
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So you are happy with the bloated 43,000+ civil servants spending a whooping RM 12BILLION of our tax money.
Look at the big picture. You are a business man (as you proclaimed). If your company is haemorrhaging & over spending & you’re incurring a loss, do you cont. with such foolish expenditure OR do you take actions to plug the haemorrhage to put your company in the black again? Will the shareholders have confidence in your ability to manage the company? Will you cont. to do nothing as the company heads towards bankruptcy?
BTW, the kiwi is a fruit normally associated with New Zealand.
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Yes, I’m a businessman with legal earning.
Do you know what is centralization and decentralization ???
There are pros and cons for each one. I have to speak out because of blatant spin supplied by this article.
Bloated ??? Of course it is bloated because our BN government picks the “centralized way” to the administration.
If you don’t know about business admin, please pick up a general management book and study it thoroughly before firing your first comment !!!
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Finally we agree on something. I also think our gomen is bloated due to the “centralization” of all unemployable bumi graduates in the public service.
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Please benchmark on good things.
If you keep comparing against the worst, you will get worst.
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Pray tell, is there any “good” left in the Malaysian government?
If there is no more “good” left how the heck are we going to benchmark the “good”?
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gERAKAN k, At least Malaysia does not go to war by misleading the world but its MISLEAD ITS PEOPLE UNTIL IT SUCK THEM DRY.
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Why you so quiet about DAP alleged scandal ???
Wanna mislead people here ???
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Gerakan K,
You have a interesting view point but people here would understand you better if they knew which angle you were coming from.
Describe how the comparison is unfair, based on the staff numbers given above.
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I just wonder why PM & wife went to USA recently if USA is so bad???? Hypocrite!!
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fat mama’s annual shopping(?)
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Gerakan K
(what) are you talking about?
Despite it being the USA with 400 million population, its President has 1/3 our PM’s op budget and 1/20 the staff to help him. Naji has another $8 billion Developement Budget, god only knows for what.
The whole thing is out so of whack and you can’t see it?
Ther atr none so blind as those who will not see!!
dpp
we are all of 1 race, the Human Race
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It is really unfair to compare PM department with White House. White House only need a budget of US$394 million to run the whole US, why the PM department of a pisang size country need a budget of RM 4 billion ? Why need 43,554 employees? Why white house only need 1888 employees? Because of decentralization? …
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“We do not believe in being spoon-fed or being too dependent on the government – in other words, we do not have a crutch mentality,’ wrote Singapore Berita harian editor Guntor Sadali.
Guntor said Singapore Malays believed that a community with such a mentality would soon become a “two M” community, which stands for ‘manja’ (spoilt), and ‘malas’ (lazy).
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pointed out in this excellent idiot’s guide to the national budget.
THE BUDGET: How the Government is Spending OUR Money
by Teh Chi-Chang
mesti beli dan baca. http://tokobuku.fotopages.com/?entry=1940110
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The aim is Productivity and Quality…quantity is not quality…. when you have under par morons doing a job!
Professionalism is definitely lacking in Bolehland. When jobs handle by dumb creeps it only spell disaster AND WASTE OF TAXPAYERS MONEY!
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Going to war on the basis of lies is wrong.
But that doesn’t make a blotted civil service with low productivity right.
One is durian, the other kiwi.
Both are rotten to the core.
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Now all the Pm’s department needs to do is also start employing non-Malays and we will all be happy.
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Just an illustration to show how things work here:
One guy manning the excavator digging a hole. 7 guys standing there watching.
Two guys down the hole fixing a pipe, 5 guys standing there chit-chatting. 1 guy taking a nap on the excavator.
Familiar scene, huh?
Malaysia Boleh!
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Niakong makes point.
I had a new building put-up last year. The electricity took 3 months to sort. Final one day, 2 Tenaga vans came with 13 techinicans. 2 guys worked whole day on the job, 11 guys sat in the a/c vans whole day-eating, talking and maybe reading papers.
Yes you guessed it-the 2 guys were non-malays. The other 11 guys came out of the vans regularly to go to the toilet, buy food, make calls.
At the end of the day, the 2 guys could not finish the job and said to me, that they will come over the weekend and finish the job for RM400 (RM200 each).
THIS IS MALAYSIAN EFFICENCY. MALAYSIAN BOLEH-LAH
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Wake up buddy !!!
TNB is not our government departments or agencies. I also feel very angry when the pizza ordered being late to my home. But that pizza shop is not our government departments or agencies.
You are now barking on the wrong tree.
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The civil service tak apa culture permeates throughout the society….
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TNB is equivalent to UMNO.
Say no more.
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TNB is a GOVERNMENT LINKED COMPANY.
SAME ROTTEN (TIDAK APA) CULTURE PERMEATES IN GLCs.
Next time check your facts RIGHT, sleeping Gerakan K?
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that’s why i’m not impressed when gomen claimed they ‘made’ improvement to they services…. btw, i’m not so impressed with the opposition too, yah.
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I am impressed.
I am very impressed with the new ways for them to spend our money.
Like the submarine (purchase and maintain that cost us billions) deal. Like the putting up arch and tear down arch (botanical garden) deal. Like the propsed 50 million PICC white elephant deal. Too many deals that they are doing (and will do) to keep on spending our money.
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TNB is not really a private company as TNB is wholly owned by the govt.
TNB is the heir and successor to NEB (1990).
The question to ask is ” How did it gets so bloated within a short period of time “
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PM Department port folio is one thing we will need to get rid of right away if PR come to power because it doesn’t make sense. I want my PM to surround himself with very able Minister that can make good decision for the rakyat and that indirectly for the PM as well. If not setup committee to support the Minister not create multiple Minister for no reason. Also, if PR come to power the last thing I want to see is the PM holding the Finance Minister position. For heaven sack find a Finance Minister that is capable of making decision to better serve rakyat not to benefit themselve or political party.
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There is America or any other competence governments will have limited civil servants . In Malaysia we have a PM who will have 10 men doing 1 man job while the tax payers and the raykat have to do away with subsidy.
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SDO office in Komtar: Half a million ringgit mess
This unused and dilapidated space in a prime location, which has been left to rot by the federal civil service, is just a minor illustration of the colossal, wasteful and profligate spending by the BN government.
The real big wastage comes in maintaining the bloated 1.2 million strong civil service. When we look at the civil service to population ratio in other well-run countries like Taiwan, Japan and Singapore, we only need about 500,000 civil servants.
This means that every year billions of ringgit of the taxpayers’ money is wasted and squandered on 700,000 unnecessary workers.
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“This means that every year billions of ringgit of the taxpayers’ money is wasted and squandered on 700,000 unnecessary workers.”
Think of it this way.
The billions of our tax money are being used to keep 700,000 potential mat rempits off the streets.
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My dear Gerakan K
It is so obvious that you are in defensive mode & shout at everyone here.
You dont seem to reason nor debate with manners.
Perhaps it is time you leave & just leave those of us be.
We can all agree to disagree & just leave it at that.
No one here will believe what the ruling party says anymore & your trying to defend the ruling party is just making it worse.
Thus, goodbye dear sir. You go your way, I go my way. God bless.
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Hi Anil,
Sorry Anil, my comment here is not connected to this posting of yours, except with regards of governance or lack of it in M’sia!!
I was in S’pore recently and happen to casually come across one of the froggy Penang MPs.
Anyway, may I interest you to post 2 articles in the Straits Times Singapore 29 July 2010 issue for your blog readers.
One is by Mr Mohd Guntor Sadali, the chief editor of S’pore’s Berita Harian and Berita Minggu, who countered Dr M’s comment in Terengganu about M’sian Malays may suffer the fate of Singaporean Malays. Generally, he said that Singapore Malays are dignified and bent on meritocracy in religon, education, etc, i.e. they’re not on ‘clutches mentality’ like their counterparts in M’sia! They only have similar ‘historical and cultural’ background as the Malaysian Malays, but the similarity ends there! They do not depend on the S’pore Govt for hand-outs!
The second was front-page news about the Singapore confiscating 4 HDB flats/apartment units based on the owners renting out their units. i.e. not owner-occupied as required. The owners of these units were only reimbursed the money they have paid-up, not current market value, and on top of that there is a ‘penalty fine’! The S’pore govt stated clearly that the HDB units are meant to help those who need a roof over their heads and not for self-gain. Doesn’t this issue ring a bell about the MPPJ top officers allegedly abusing their positions to enrich themselves through allocation of low cost flats/shoplots (meant for the needy) for themselves and their families?
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Yes. That’s why Singapore is progressing and their dollar can buy 2.3 Ringgit.
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When I recently did a course in islamic Banking, the majority of the students were singaporen Malays while the lecturers were Malaysian Malays and many were either doctoral or masters holders. what was embarasing was watching singaporean Malay students asking question in fluent and coherent English, only for the Malaysian Malay lecturers stuutering to reply incoherently using gramatically incorrect English. Some even had difficulty comprehending the question of the student. Lecture delivery due to english language incompetency was mediocre at best.
Just watching the Singapore Malay students,I concluded that Singapore Malays are now ready to compete in a globalised world. it will be only a matter of time to see Singapoe Malays due to their proficiency in English being employed ahead of Malaysian Malays in the Middle East and (elsewhere) in the world.
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Some of the fat in the civil service is related to the extra hands required to undermine the opposition-led states, e.g. “State Development Office”.
Since our “educationists” feel that exams are unnecessary, we should close schools – but still pay the staff. SPM can be handed out after completing the compulsory “National Service”, provided the candidate demonstrates satisfactorily that he has been watching goverment televsision for 11 years. Similarly, colleges and univrsities should be closed. Degrees, PhD etc. can be awarded based on the recommendations of MPs, ministers etc. In this way, we will save billions – to spend on more imprtant things
)
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Actually, Gerakan K is doing a disservice to BN that he supports. Even if I want to support BN on the basis of maintaining dual party system, I don’t want to be counted as a BN supporter when the like of Gerakan K is around.
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Simple logic in Bolehland.
The PM’s Department runs the country (thats why we end up having napoleons like SDO Nik,)
Other Ministries on Auto Mode, just following directives.
Meanwhile, BN politicians loot the country dry.
Power Corrupts,
Absolute Power,
DISASTER !!!
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My Questions for Intelligent Mind’s Fodders:
Q: How many heads our PM actually has to oversee so many departments?
Q: What is the actual, effective and meaningful function of a Prime Minister of Malaysia?
Q: Is it necessary to run a country with ex-PM offices? Aren’t ex-PM retirees?
Q: Do we have enough and fairly allocated national fund to run a gigantium PM dept?
Q: Why is Penang’s Federal development under the PM? Why no other states?
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Because of his distrust of his ministers (whom he had appointed, or was he ‘forced’ to appoint them, due to their party positions?), the 1PM (probably) has a few Ministers in the PM’s dept that duplicates other ministerial positions. That already doubles the staffing & budget. Then he (probably) has to hand out jobs to unemployable grads…. The PM’s dept also houses the PM’s wife’s dept & her Permata + associated social dept (duplication of Shahrizat’s dept) AND the cyber-troopers dept(?). That triples the staffing (+ budget). Not to forget the money-making FELDA and other so-called independent units, also parked under the 1PM, so that he can depend on them to make … ‘correct’ decisions.
Wonder how such a busy man gets to rest??!! Oh, that’s why his wife is there to help!
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The real multiracial Malaysia was destroyed by a constitutionally-defined Malay, who was PM for 22 years. It was during his time that everything had to be racialised; civil service, education, economic and investment activities, the infamous 30 percent quota system which the king of ‘katak’ Ibrahim Ali now wants revised to 67 percent.
Tunku Abdul Rahman’s prophecy that Dr Mahathir Mohamad would destroy this nation is proving to be true. Look at the mess and rot underneath the facade: massive corruption, racial and religious polarisation, partial and politicised government organs and institutions, a laughing-stock judiciary, declining economy due to massive lack of confidence by foreigners and locals, etc.
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Bloated civil service to keep some people employed when they have adopted the “tunggu Boss buat keputusan and tak nak tanggung (bear responsibility)biar orang lain tanggung ” has been a culture the tax payers have accepted as the norm in this sector for too long -last two decades. Their heads are no better!
In the meantime, the civil service and the government-linked companies sit on the rakyat’s complaints or predicament.
Therefore, in view of the credit crunch and, if the government is sincere in wanting to boost efficiency, productivity, and image of the government service and GLCs like TNB (tough to get any help from them), KTMB and the Post Offices, it should encourage the deadwood (no age limit)to opt out with some compensation. After all most of them own tanah and kebun and are able to make a living, while the women can keep a close watch on children, who appear neglected going by recent episodes.
In place of them, recruit better qualified people among the public who are keen to put good work, but the number should be less than those who chose to quit to reduce the workforce in the civil service. It won’t be difficult to find new and right talents if these job openings are advertised in English MSM papers or HR Ministry’s websites.
Hope the Friday lunch break, will be intelligently looked at, as even after 2.45pm staff are cooly making their way into their respective offices. Obviously, the government is being shortchanged!
Noticed this even at a Post Office, in a PR-led state two days ago.
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Bloated civil servants breeds more little napoleans!
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I suggest we put in a little note together with
our tax returns telling these idiots how we want
our hard earned money spent every year until the
BN regime is voted out of office.
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“Shouldn’t some of these be independent of the PM’s Department and answerable to Parliament instead?”
Check the list. Parliament is also under PMD. lol..
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