Sarawak's sole opposition state assemblyperson Chiew Chin Sing has slammed the state government on its move to allow state ministers and assistant ministers to be involved in running state-controlled companies and corporations.

"Politics and business do not mix and should not mix," he said when debating the amendments to the state constitution to allow such a move. "It is a fertile avenue for corruption."

He said the two are two different entities and have different objectives.

"If a person is needed to be appointed to an office of a non-executive nature, in any company or corporation wherein the state government holds, directly or indirectly, a substantial equity interest, then an expert in the field outside of the public service and politicians, would anytime be a better appointment, a person independent of the public bodies or not having any vested interests can and should do the job," he added.

The amendments were approved with only one dissenting voice in the 62-member elected assembly.

Maintain role

Chiew (DAP-Kidurong), who is the party's state deputy chairperson, said it was important to maintain the role of the public servants and that of privatised corporation.

"The two entities should be separate and yet at the same time be able to provide the check and balance through proper management and auditing," he added.

"If we think that the expertise of the private sector is indispensable, then let them have a free hand to run the privatised corporation, instead of having public servants being appointed to sit in the private corporation," he said.

Alternatively, the DAP leader said if the people in the private sectors are good, then the government can employ the expertise of the private sector and run the company under the ministry.

In this case, the amendments would not have been necessary, he added.

Jumbo state cabinet

The government's move has come after the creation of what has been described as a jumbo state cabinet comprising 30 ministers and assistant ministers who make up almost half of the state legislative assembly.

There has even been confusion within the public and private sectors with the creation of many portfolios assigned to 12 full ministers and 18 assistant ministers, who are further assisted by political secretaries.

Speaking on another amendment to the state constitution concerning the civil service, Chiew called for a multi-racial, multi-disciplinary civil service team "so that public services can become more accessible, more interactable and more multi-racial to ensure equal access to public services for all, irrespective of race."

"So many times good public services are not rendered to the public or lost because of poor communication as a result of language problem," he said, adding that a public service lost is a public service denied.

TONY THIEN is malaysiakini's Sarawak-based stringer.