More than two million applications were received by the Public Services Commission (PSC) to fill various vacancies in the civil service from January to September this year, said its chairperson Mahmood Adam.

He said this was a record number of applications and it showed the people were keen on the schemes offered by the government to job seekers.

He noted that the schemes were among the best and in fact were better than those provided by most private companies in the country.

“I also believe the increase is due to various proactive measures we have taken like holding job interviews at night and during weekends,” he told reporters after the opening of the 16th Annual Conference of public service commissions in Malaysia in Malacca today.

The four-day conference which was opened by Malacca Chief Minister Idris Haron is being attended by 150 officers from the PSC, Education Services Commission and the Malacca government.

Mahmood said of the total number, 1.62 million applicants were Malays, Sabah bumiputeras (137,562), Sarawak bumiputeras (103,410), Indians (69,865), Chinese (40,892) and the rest from other races.

“I wish to draw attention that the response from the Chinese community is very encouraging as before this, the number stood around 20,000 only (in the same time frame),” he  said.

He said 126,487 of the applicants had been interviewed and 29,009 of them were hired on a permanent basis while 14,445 on contract.

He added that he was confident the PSC would be able to fulfill its quota of appointing 80,000 people into the civil service this year by December.

- Bernama