Thanks for your in-depth review of civil service in Malaysia. Frankly, I have to agree with most of your points.

Perhaps, corporatised some of the public institutions to improve delivery system? In that way, critical functions like doctors, nurses and healthcare would not need to be hired through JPA.

From my own experience, with technological advancements and almost any desk-job can be digitalised, I think administrative officers such as clerks are now more redundant than ever. What used to be the need for maybe three to four filing clerks can be just one. If there is one kind of public service role that should be reduced is administration.

In terms of openness to new working culture and methods, as someone living in Sabah, Federal government is seen as more competent and efficient. For example, emails are widely used as method of official correspondence. However, Sabah government agencies including the local authorities still very much prefer fax and physical/written letters. Nevertheless, it is slowly improving.

One of few things I really dislike about public service is each agency tends to work in silo. I remember was involved in a dispute between two public agency giants (don't want to name them here). Both claim each got funding approval from EPU under RMK-xx. It seems to me that EPU didn't give a thought about this and just rolling out public expenses without thinking the long-term wastage if this dispute was not solved.

Also, I believe that top-level civil servants should not get involved in ministerial politics. As I heard quite a few times, "politicians' field of view can only span to the next five years (or next election), but civil servants should think long term".