Maria Dass' article in the Sun on the gaffe in the use of English by the museum and antiquities department puts to shame our nation as we continue to promote Malaysia as a prime tourist destination in Asia.

What I found incredulous in the story was the department director-general Adi Taha's revelation that he plans to engage an orang putih (Westerner) to scrutinise all notices before they are put up. A DG's post is not one to be taken lighty but Adi Taha's statement reflects incompetence and an inferiority complex.

I shudder to think if the calibre of other DGs who are the key people in our civil service is similar. To come up with such an incredulous response to such a mundane problem is shocking, to say the least.

How much has it cost our country when officials do not find the most cost-effective solutions to their problems? It is time to enforce the meritocracy policy with a vengeance so that we have the most competent people at the helm.

Our public servants need to be given a jolt to rouse them from their complacency, though I am heartened to hear more of them paying heed to the call to learn the English language.