CHIEF Minister Datuk Seri Hajiji Haji Noor wants state civil servants to change their mindset, work process, communication quality and be more motivated to raise the image of the Sabah Government.
The year 2022 should be the starting point for the paradigm shift, he said, adding the public services also need to come up with more thoughtful and bold ideas, aggressively making improvements for the sake of Sabah Maju Jaya.
He said this was in line with the Sabah Government’s goal of focusing on creating an investor-friendly Sabah to attract more foreign investments.
“We want to bring in more investors and ensure that the investment is facilitated, so the public service delivery system also needs to be improved.
“The move will boost the confidence of the international investor community on the growth prospects, thus can propel Sabah’s economic progress,” he said when officiating the Sabah Public Sector Innovation Awards (ISAS) 2021 Ceremony and launching of the Sabah Public Sector Innovation Awards handbook at the Banquet Hall, Menara Kinabalu, Kota Kinabalu, on June 14.
The Chief Minister also hoped the State Secretary’s Office and Federal Government Secretary’s Office can actively discuss and make strategic collaborations to make 2022 a leap of change in Sabah.
Hajiji said Sabah must be on par or be a positive role model to other civil services, adding all Sabah or Federal heads of departments must be prime examples in changing the “mindset” of civil servants.
“Heads of departments play a very significant role in leading the agency’s innovation direction,” he said.
According to him, the Government has made innovation one of the main agendas in empowering Sabah’s public sector.
He said public services are the backbone of Sabah’s development and the main driver in the Hala Tuju Sabah Maju (SMJ) 2021-2025 development plan through human capital and the wellbeing of the people.
The implementation of the iSAS 2021 programme has turned innovation as a culture which is to use a hybrid approach where face-to-face and online methods are practised according to the suitability of the situation.
“In line with the Hala Tuju SMJ initiative, I strongly support the implementation of this innovation programme and hope the delivery system in Sabah’s public services can be improved so that the best services can be delivered from time to time faster and satisfying for clients.
“If we are lazy and find it difficult to adapt to these changes, then we will be swept away and left behind in this era of digitalisation.
“Indeed, in an effort to make innovation a culture in the public service delivery today, civil servants need to be more sensitive and responsive to the needs of the people.
“There is no point if an innovative idea produced is impractical or not in line with the real needs of our clients.
“We must also accept that innovation is also a paradigm shift to the progress and success of a country that is able to compete globally.
“Sabah is no longer in the era of 1972, 1982 or 1992. Come on all members of the public services in Sabah, we rise together with the spirit of 2022, to be more courageous to change our mindset and be active to achieve Sabah Maju Jaya,” said Hajiji.
He also hoped the scope of this innovation programme could be expanded by holding the Sabah Innovation Convention with the cooperation and involvement of the Sabah public services, as well as the Federal, which will be the driver of success for the Sabah public sector.
