Outward expressions of loyalty like the enforced signing of Aku janji (loyalty pledge) is not a good indicator of the quality of the civil service in a country. While it is true that its efficiency can make or break a government, the present administration should strive to find the root cause of problems besieging the establishment rather than enforce the pledge signing.

The problems of such a pledge are:-

  • The signing is compulsory and forced, which means that signatories can rationalise that they are not morally bound to the pledge.

  • As the nine-point pledge is a compilation of various rules under the General Orders to which civil servants are already bound to, the pledge then smacks of condescension — civil servants are treated like school children who must be reminded by the pledge what are their responsibilities and the penalties of infractions.

  • As the interpretation of "good conduct" is also subjective, civil servants may wonder if they will be penalised for carrying out their professional duties that happen to collide in conflict with the ruling party's interest.

    • The duty of civil servants is always to the country and not the political party of the day that happens to be governing and paying their salaries.

    The problems of civil service are better tackled at source regarding quality and standards of recruitment and continuous training in the tenure of their service.

    At all times, emphasis on substance and content than form will serve the interest of the government better. For example the recruitment of new Suhakam's commissioners to replace those retiring. For Suhakam to serve with credibility, the government must be committed to uphold human rights and those appointed must be acceptable to civil society groups and opposition parties.

    Suhakam members should by their public service record and personal prestige command national respect across party lines and transcend parochial political positions. Otherwise this institution will in due course be viewed by the public and outsiders as just another form of farce to vest legitimacy of the government's human rights commitment where none really exists.