KUCHING: Newly appointed Sarawak Civil Service (SCS) officers must be well informed about the Sarawak Government’s policies and initiatives by proactively broadening their knowledge to keep pace with evolving technology and public expectations.

Sarawak Secretary Datuk Amar Mohamad Abu Bakar Marzuki said officers’ knowledge and understanding of matters highlighted by Sarawak Premier Datuk Patinggi Tan Sri (Dr) Abang Abdul Rahman Zohari Tun Datuk Abang Openg would reflect how well they kept abreast of the Sarawak Government’s direction and priorities.

“As senior officers, if you want to know about something, you must make the effort. You need to have initiative,” he said.

He said this during the Sarawak Secretary’s Address and Presentation of Appointment Offer Letters Ceremony at a leading hotel here on Thursday.

Datuk Amar Mohamad Abu Bakar added that officers should not rely solely on what they had learned at university or wait to be sent for formal training, as knowledge and working methods continue to evolve.

Instead, he encouraged them to make full use of available resources including digital platforms and artificial intelligence to better understand current issues and unfamiliar subjects.

At the ceremony, 22 individuals received offer letters for permanent appointments as Administrative Officers (Grade N9), while another seven received offers as Assistant Administrative Officers (Grade N5).

Congratulating the newly appointed officers, the Sarawak Secretary said their appointments were more than a new chapter in their careers, as they would also be entrusted with greater responsibilities within the SCS.

According to him, their new roles would require them to move beyond conventional working methods, silo-based practices and their comfort zones, calling instead for more dynamic, strategic and innovative approaches that deliver meaningful results for the people.

“You must work creatively and innovatively, work as one team and lead by example to achieve the targets set,” he said.

Sharing his own career journey, Datuk Amar Mohamad Abu Bakar said he had never imagined becoming the Sarawak Secretary.

He recalled applying to become a Sarawak Administrative Officer in 1988 but was unsuccessful, before later receiving an offer to serve with Yayasan Sarawak, marking the beginning of a public service career that eventually led to his appointment as Sarawak Secretary.

His experience, he said, showed that an early setback need not determine a person’s future, provided they remained committed, continued learning and carried out their responsibilities with integrity.

He therefore encouraged Sarawak civil servants to aim higher, noting that some of the newly appointed officers could one day rise to the highest levels of the SCS, including serving as Sarawak Secretary, Deputy Sarawak Secretary, Sarawak Attorney-General, Sarawak Financial Secretary, permanent secretary or director of a government department.

“Taking on responsibility is not merely about beginning a new chapter, it is about carrying a trust. It is entirely possible that one day, one of you may become the Sarawak Secretary, Deputy Sarawak Secretary, Sarawak Attorney-General, Sarawak Financial Secretary, Director of the Human Resource Development and Management Unit (HRDM), head of a department or Permanent Secretary of a ministry.

“As Muslims, we believe in rezeki, the blessings and opportunities provided by God,” he said.

Highlighting the 3R approach ‘Revisit, Rethink and Recharge’, Datuk Amar Mohamad Abu Bakar stressed that success in the public service depended on teamwork and mutual respect among all members of the organisation regardless of position, ethnicity or background.

He said contributions of employees at every level, including drivers and support personnel, should not be underestimated as no individual could achieve organisational success alone.

“Whatever responsibilities we are given, what matters most is how we carry them out. We must work with integrity and always operate as one team.

“Do not form exclusive groups based on ethnicity or background. Malays should not associate only with Malays, nor Ibans only with Ibans. We must work together as one team, regardless of our race, religion or background.

“We must also never look down on those serving in junior or supporting roles. Every person contributes to our success. We depend on our drivers, office assistants, tea ladies and many others. None of us can succeed alone.

“Consider football. Having an outstanding player does not automatically guarantee victory. Argentina cannot depend solely on Lionel Messi, just as Portugal cannot depend solely on Cristiano Ronaldo.

“A team succeeds when its members work together, with each person contributing their own strengths. One colleague may be strong in one area, while another may be strong in something else. We complement one another,” he added.

Also present was HRDM Director Datu Sharifah Rohana Datu Wan Alwi. -UKASnews