Quality has been part and parcel of the Sarawak civil service (SCS). Since its introduction over the past few decades, various initiatives have been introduced by the Sarawak Government to develop further the ability of civil servants to delivery high quality services to the people.
Quality-related initiatives in SCS focus on continuous improvement. According to the Sarawak Transformation and Innovation Unit (STIU), this refers to the relentless endeavour to search for ways to enhance work processes of public sector organisations.
“This can drive constant innovation and development of new products and services, which enable agencies and departments to gain public confidence,” the unit states in a written reply to RAKAN Sarawak.
It adds that internally, implementing quality initiatives allows SCS agencies and departments to identify and find innovative solutions to boost the efficiency of their service delivery, leading to increased productivity, cost savings and a sense of ownership among civil servants.
Externally, prioritising quality in their services empowers them to meet or even exceed the needs and expectations of their customers.
This in turn can potentially improve the reputation of the civil service among stakeholders and the general public as “a trustworthy institution” that places great importance on quality.
Cultivating the Incorporation of Quality in Service Delivery
STIU, under the Department of the Premier of Sarawak, is tasked with carrying out transformation and innovation initiatives to make certain that all entities under SCS are able to guarantee the delivery of quality services.
It was established following the realignment of the State Service Modernisation Unit in December 2022, which also saw the formation of the Sarawak Civil Service Digitalisation Unit.
Among other roles and functions, STIU undertakes efforts to cultivate the inclusion of quality in SCS, primarily through monitoring and recognition activities (Table 1).
| ACTIVITY | DESCRIPTION |
| Key Performance Indicators (KPIs) through SCS Scorecard | Used to measure the performance of agencies or departments in carrying out transformation and innovation initiatives. KPIs are monitored and reported periodically to determine whether set targets can be achieved or intervening actions can be made; ultimately to ensure that any project set out by any SCS organisation benefits the public and stakeholders. |
| Audit Activities | Implemented to ascertain that agencies or departments have carried out follow-up actions to tackle weaknesses or non-compliances identified in any of their quality-related activities |
| Sarawak Civil Service Innovation and Creativity Awards (SCSICA) | Awarded to State agencies and departments who have implemented high-impact Kumpulan Inovatif dan Kreatif (KIK) projects. These projects will go through the screening stage at the respective ministry level first before qualifying for the SCSICA Convention which is held annually. |
| Anugerah Kualiti Perkhidmatan Awam Sarawak (AKPANS) | A prestigious award that recognises government agencies or departments in Sarawak that achieve quality excellence in the effectiveness of governance, operations, and service delivery. Presented during Hari Perkhidmatan Awam Sarawak (HPA), its goals are: To strengthen the machinery of public administration towards the enhancement of robust implementation, operation, and governance capabilities;To evaluate and measure the performance of government agencies to ensure excellent delivery of public sector services; andTo encourage healthy competition among public sector agencies to continuously improve and add value to the existing delivery system. |
Table 1: Monitoring and recognition activities by STIU in cultivating the incorporation of quality in SCS. Source: Sarawak Transformation and Innovation Unit, Department of the Premier of Sarawak.
Promoting the importance of incorporating quality within SCS is not without its challenges.
When implementing quality-related initiatives, for instance, STIU has to consider the varying goals, cultures and capabilities of participating strategic partners as well as the role of the top management in managing limited resources.
The unit must also inculcate a more open attitude and mindset towards new quality-related initiatives among civil servants of diverse generations.
For that, it strives to make certain that each organisation within SCS establishes its purpose and expectation of its employees in order to provide the necessary resources for quality development.
“Therefore, STIU as the central agency for SCS transformation and innovation management always organises engagement programmes, as well as provides advisory services and capacity building related to SCS transformation and innovation initiatives.
“At the same time, STIU will continue to carry out regular monitoring and audit activities on these initiatives,” it elaborates.
Roles and Functions of STIU
- Formulates and carries out policies related to transformation and innovation upon considering various factors to ensure the feasibility of the policy in the Sarawak civil service
- Conducts detailed studies on good practices regarding quality in the public service in Malaysia or abroad that can be adopted in the context of Sarawak’s government service delivery
- Monitors effectiveness of implemented transformation and innovation policies through periodic audit process or ad-hoc inspectorate, and takes intervening measures when required
- Provides consulting services on quality initiatives carried out in SCS (e.g. KIK, KFA, GRP, AKPANS, EKSA, ISO, SCS Scorecard, etc.) and support services in terms of reference materials and systems to government agencies and departments
- Gives recognition to agencies and departments that implement transformation and innovation initiatives via AKPANS, SCSICA Awards, KFA Awards and other accolades either from the Sarawak Government or a collaborative effort between the Sarawak Government and the Federal Government
Source: Sarawak Transformation and Innovation Unit, Department of the Premier of Sarawak
Sarawak Civil Service Quality Achievements (2021-2022)
MS ISO 9001: 2015 (Quality Management System) Certification: A platform for the Sarawak Government to provide standard manuals or guidelines for use by SCS organisations to ensure efficient, professional, transparent and quality service delivery.
As of 2022:
- 30 organisations (6 Sarawak Government agencies and 24 local authorities) have received certification
- 57 organisations in the process of obtaining certification
Kumpulan Inovatif dan Kreatif (KIK): An initiative that encourages a culture of innovation and creativity among civil servants in identifying and analysing challenges faced by their respective organisations to enhance their service delivery
Since 2010:
- 818 KIK products and services have been produced.
- Notable example: “C-Flex H2O Intake” by Q-Inno of Jabatan Kerja Raya (JKR) Bintulu and Jabatan Bekalan Air Luar Bandar (JBALB) that has helped supply clean, quality and safe treated water to rural communities.
Ekosistem Kondusif Sektor Awam (EKSA): Introduced by the Malaysian Administrative Modernisation and Management Planning Unit (MAMPU) following a rebranding exercise to enhance the Amalan 5S practice. A sustainability initiative that promotes a conducive and quality workplace in the public sector – which the Sarawak Government will adopt when the EKSA Implementation Guidelines for all SCS organisations is released in July 2023.
To date, several public sector organisations in Sarawak have taken the initiative to obtain EKSA certification, including:
- Sarawak Syariah Judiciary Department
- Jabatan Agama Islam Sarawak
- Pejabat Agama Islam Bahagian Sibu
- Sarawak Timber Industry Development Corporation (STIDC) Miri Divisional Office
- STIDC Central Region Office (Sibu)
- Bintulu Development Authority
- STIDC Tanjung Manis Divisional Office
- STIDC Bintulu Divisional Office
- Majlis Daerah Dalat dan Mukah
- Majlis Daerah Sarikei
Source: Sarawak Transformation and Innovation Unit, Department of the Premier of Sarawak
References:
Department of the Premier of Sarawak. (n.d.). Laman Utama STIU. Sarawak Transformation and Innovation Unit. https://premierdept.sarawak.gov.my/web/home/index/STIU/
Malaysian Administrative Modernisation and Management Planning Unit. (n.d.). Conducive Public Sector Ecosystem (EKSA). https://www.mampu.gov.my/en/products/conducive-public-sector-ecosystem-eksa/
Malaysian Administrative Modernisation and Management Planning Unit. (2018). Panduan Pelaksanaan Sistem Pengurusan Kualiti Berasaskan MS ISO 9001: 2015 Bagi Agensi Sektor Awam. https://dasar.mampu.gov.my/search-d/download-file/145/dca7007e5a034787a2be781bd891b983 Sarawak Government. (n.d.). SCSICA. Sarawak Civil Service Innovative Creative Circle. https://kik.sarawak.gov.my/v2/modules/kik/
