PUTRAJAYA: As he reaches the milestone of his 100th day as Chief Secretary to the Government (KSN), Tan Sri Shamsul Azri Abu Bakar remains dedicated to advancing the public service reform agenda, aiming to boost civil service efficiency and restore public trust in the government.
According to BERNAMA News Agency, Shamsul Azri was officially appointed on August 12, with his first directive coming on the evening of his appointment announcement on August 7. Prime Minister Datuk Seri Anwar Ibrahim conveyed a succinct message: ‘Please start your reform now.’ In a special interview marking his 100th day as the 16th KSN, Shamsul Azri emphasized the importance of reforming the public service, with a focus on revising and reducing at least 25 percent of burdensome regulations every three years to regain customer trust.
Shamsul Azri, 55, acknowledged the potential for improvement within the public service, highlighting reform as essential for rebuilding public confidence in the government. Motivated by John F. Kenned
y’s famous quote, ‘Ask not what your country can do for you, ask what you can do for your country,’ Shamsul Azri draws inspiration from this motto, which has influenced his career.
Reflecting on his first 100 days, Shamsul Azri identified several challenges requiring innovative approaches. Changing mindsets, actions, and work culture is the first challenge, demanding creative thinking for public sector rationalization. The second challenge involves updating outdated regulations without compromising integrity and governance, in line with the Prime Minister’s call for ‘Islah Masta To’tum’-implementing improvements effectively. The third challenge pertains to modernizing conventional systems and procedures, with digitalization shifting service delivery to online platforms.
Shamsul Azri introduced M.E.R.D.E.K.A values-Loyalty, Empathy for the People, Relevance, Dedication, Emotional Intelligence, Charisma, and Integrity-to guide civil servants toward a transparent, people-centric service. He also urged public s
ervice personnel to embody M.A.L.A.Y.S.I.A values-Friendly, Fair, Noble, Trustworthy, Confident, Loyal, Reform-oriented, and Wise-to support national reform goals.
Committed to realizing reforms that align with the people’s aspirations, Shamsul Azri aims to build a service based on integrity, producing better outcomes for the nation. Despite challenges in meeting all 1.6 million civil servants, he encourages them to follow his social media accounts to stay informed and engaged with the reform agenda. Quoting Liverpool’s motto, he reassured, ‘You will never walk alone.’