public service with an attitude

Government agencies. Am sure every rakyat has to deal with them at least once in their lifetime. Normal instances are such as applying for passports, paying taxes, identity card registration and the list goes on. There are many complaints being thrown at these agencies and no prizes for guessing what they are. Yes, all related to the level and quality of services provided. It is certainly not fair to pass judgment solely based on what we hear from certain people. For that purpose, I would like to share my recent experience in order for an assessment to be done on that event.

I was trying to apply for a new myKad (identity card) because the smart chip on the one I am having was spoilt. It was my off day and I head out to the nearest National Registration Department (NRD) in the morning. When I reached that place, it was about noon. I proceed to the queue counter and took a ticket. The counter clerk was very friendly but her last words stunned me. She advised me to come back at 2.30pm! I asked her again to confirm what I had heard is exactly clear. No doubt the place was pack with people but to come back 2 hours later? I tried to ask for a clarification and I got the answer that really took me aback; they will be closing the place for a one hour lunch break starting at 1pm. Luckily I am off on that day but what if I am working? Isn’t lunch time the only free time we working people can run personal errands? Does a service center literally closed during lunch time? I was hoping at that time this only applied to that branch alone. I went back to the place at 2.30pm and waited for my turn. When my turn finally came, it was about 5pm already. The procedure itself only took me 5 minutes. I basically spent my whole day at the place for just a 5 minute procedure! The whole process is indeed a strenuous one. In fact, most of the public complaints do have some similarities on what had transpired. Judging by the fact alone, it is therefore fair to say such event do happens in most government agencies. What gives?

The perception conjured from us normal rakyat is as though the government agencies are not part of a service industry whereby customer satisfaction is top priority. They are free to do anything without repercussions to their performance review and with an attitude “if you don’t like it, you are free to leave and take your business elsewhere”. Hello, where else can we apply for a myKad or even a passport? The question right now is government agencies constitute as within service industry? If it does, Key Performance Index (KPI) exists to gauge performance? If KPI exist, is it enforced? In the business world, KPIs are used as a basis to gauge employees’ performance during year end review. This will in turn affect the employees’ salary increment and promotion chances. In a nutshell, an employee is subjected to rewards or even reprimands based on his work ethics. These two things alone will make an employee strives to perform to his best for he knows, if he does well he will be rewarded and vice versa. On the contrary, if this KPI system is not in place, an employee will be complacent because, why work so hard if there are no rewards or even reprimands. This complacency will indirectly result in inefficiency and the term most rakyat can relate to, “tidak apa” attitude. Anyone for a change?

“If you do not raise your eyes you will think that you are at the highest point.”
Antonio Porchia