PETALING JAYA: Chief Secretary to the Government Datuk Seri Ismail Bakar has denied claims that the Public Service Commission (PSC) was sabotaging government officers by giving them lower grades and salaries, the Malay Mail reported.
 
In a report by the news portal on Tuesday (Sept 11), Ismail said that PSC was correcting breaches of hiring procedures made by the Barisan Nasional government and following procedures made by Pakatan Harapan to clean up the process of political appointments.
 
“First thing's first, the previous government was not following some of the procedures on appointing new officers, now the new government wants us to follow the procedures as in the manifesto so (as) to put back integrity and good governance,” he told Malay Mail.
 
Prior to this, news portal The Malaysian Insight had reported that Public Service Department (PSD) officers were going against the orders of Prime Minister Tun Dr Mahathir Mohamad by reassigning grades of newly appointed officers to respective ministers in his Cabinet.
 
Ismail refuted the claims, urging the public to not escalate the issue.
 
“The way forward – we will check again the salary starting point in each of the grades. For example, for Grade 54, maybe the starting (pay) will be at a higher level instead of middle level.
 
 “We are not sabotaging the government. I hope everybody (understands) the situation and (do not) escalate the issue,” he said.
 
It was reported in August that a large number of political appointees, including political secretaries, press secretaries, special functions officers and special officers, have not received their salaries for more than two months.
 
Dr Mahathir said that stubborn civil servants seen as loyal to the former Barisan administration had refused to pay the salaries of officers of ministers under the Pakatan government.