Kota Kinabalu: State Works Minister Datuk Shahelmey Yahya urged civil servants under his ministry to uphold a culture of excellence, integrity, and proactive service delivery, especially in responding to public infrastructure needs.
He said the commitment of public servants must go beyond routine duties, as they carry the trust of the people in ensuring efficient and impactful service.
According to him, apart from infrastructure delivery capabilities, prompt and effective handling of every complaint must be given serious attention.
“It is disappointing when complaints are ignored without resolution. Always be proactive and do not wait for complaints before taking action.
“We must continue to build public trust that the departments under the ministry responsible for these duties are indeed competent in carrying out the responsibilities entrusted to them,” he said at the 2024 Outstanding Service Award (APC) ceremony for Public Works Department (JKR), held at Shangri-La Tanjung Aru, on Friday.
The ceremony served as a significant platform to honour and recognise ministry staff who have demonstrated outstanding performance in fulfilling their duties and advancing the ministry’s vision and mission.
Also present were State Works Ministry’s Permanent Secretary Datuk Ridhwan Roger Linus and others.
Shahelmey, who is also Deputy Chief Minister III, reminded ministry staff that their role is central to the State Government’s efforts to deliver basic infrastructure such as roads, water, sewerage, ports, rail and maritime facilities.
He also called on all department heads under the Sabah Works Ministry to continuously monitor the performance of staff at the district level.
He said department heads should consistently conduct site visits to gain firsthand insight into infrastructure conditions and local needs across the districts.
“I had personally visited districts including Pitas, Kudat, Matunggong, Sandakan, Ranau, Telupid, Beluran, Kinabatangan, Kunak, Sipitang, Papar, Pulau Sebatik, Tawau, Tenom, Keningau, Sook, Nabawan and Pegalungan.
“While I generally observed commendable efforts from our civil servants in these districts, I also found there is still room to improve in terms of planning, initiatives, and responsiveness to the needs of the people,” he said.
Shahelmey also said that in a series of State-level project coordination meetings, land and utility relocation issues were identified as key factors contributing to project implementation delays.
“I believe the ministry has a vital role to play in facilitating smooth project implementation, such as coordinating issues related to land and utility relocation,” he said.
