MALAYSIAN GOVT TO REVIEW PTK FORMAT

By Sajad Hussein

PUTRAJAYA, March 20 (Bernama) -- The Malaysian government has assured
Cuepacs that it is in the process of reviewing the congress' counter proposals
on the competency level assessment (PTK) examination for civil servants.

The assurance was conveyed to Cuepacs by Public Services Department (PSD)
Director-General Ismail Adam at a dialogue here Thursday, Cuepacs
Secretary-General Ahmad Shah Mohd Zin disclosed Friday.

He told Bernama that the PTK was a very contagious issue which was "heatedly
debated" among civil servants, with majority of them were unhappy with the
present format.

Cuepacs, he said, had proposed that the examination be remodeled and be more
specific in testing the ability of civil servants in carrying out their
day-to-day duties.

At present the examination was too general and at times, some of the
questions were irrelevant to the work scope of the examinees.

Ahmad Shah said the meeting also discussed the issue of promotions for
support staff in grades one to 16.

He said this issue was also being actively studied by the PSD.

The other issues discussed at the meeting attended by 30 Cuepacs executive
council members and 20 PSD officials led by their respective chiefs, were
personal to holder posts, contract and temporary posts and the pay issue for
diploma holder teachers.

On the contract officers, Ahmad Shah said there was no problem at the
federal level as the government had decided that the services of these officers
would not be terminated.

However, the issue was critical at the state level as some of the state
governments had yet to respond to Cuepacs' queries.

On the issue of promotion for diploma holder teachers, he said, the PSD had
decided on whatever that was given to it by the Education Ministry.

Now the "ball was in the Education Ministry's court" to provide further
recommendations and input on the issue, he said.

Ahmad described the dialogue as very "fruitful" as many of the urgent issues
facing the civil service were discussed in a very amicable and friendly
atmosphere.

-- BERNAMA