PETALING JAYA: Stronger cross-country collaboration and policy innovation are crucial to ensure ASEAN’s public service remains relevant and effective amid global uncertainties.
Public Service Department director-general Tan Sri Wan Ahmad Dahlan Abdul Aziz said no nation can progress in isolation as the world faces transboundary challenges.
“To solve them, we must be willing to rethink governance, collaborate and innovate on solutions,“ he said in his closing speech at the ASEAN Conference on Future-Ready Public Service.
“The future of ASEAN’s public service lies in working together, innovating policies and developing leaders who can adapt to change.”
He emphasised that civil servants form the backbone of national institutions, with their values, skills and dedication determining the success of future-ready public service efforts.
Wan Ahmad Dahlan highlighted the need for continuous capacity-building and development of future skills among public servants.
He said technology, if harnessed wisely, serves as a powerful enabler of transformation across the region.
Digitalisation is driving more efficient, transparent and inclusive public services throughout ASEAN member states.
The one-day conference achieved significant milestones in five priority areas for public service development.
These areas include enhancing workforce competencies, building institutional capacities, and strengthening ASEAN Resource Centres.
Transformative leadership and public sector reform and modernisation were also key focus areas.
“Each country presented approaches used in their public services that could be applied in Malaysia,“ Wan Ahmad Dahlan told reporters.
“They also learned a lot from Malaysia, particularly on how we have positioned AI and digitalisation as key national priorities.”
This mutual understanding reflects a very strong spirit of solidarity among ASEAN members.
Delegates complement each other by learning from one another’s strengths rather than focusing on weaknesses.
Wan Ahmad Dahlan confirmed that delegates agreed to adopt the Declaration on Future-Ready Public Service.
This declaration will be passed to the Technical Working Group for implementation across ASEAN nations.
The conference emphasised combining talent, purpose and digital capabilities to serve citizens professionally.
This approach ensures public services maintain integrity and compassion even during major disruptions.
Building a resilient and agile workforce remains crucial for ASEAN’s public service future. – Bernama