KUCHING – The Sarawak State Civil Service (PANS) has been urged to embrace continuous innovation and transformation to remain relevant in the digital age, with calls to reduce bureaucracy that often slows down public service delivery.
State Secretary Datuk Amar Mohamad Abu Bakar Marzuki emphasised that excessive red tape has long been a barrier to efficiency, affecting both project implementation and the provision of essential services. He stressed that minimising bureaucracy is crucial to ensuring that responsibilities are carried out effectively.
“This bureaucracy is one of the things that becomes a ‘bottleneck’ to the effectiveness of service delivery, whether in the implementation of projects or the provision of services. Therefore, this bureaucracy needs to be minimised. There is nothing we cannot solve, what is important is that we ensure that every action and responsibility is not haunted by bureaucratic red tape,” he said during the Sarawak Transformation and Innovation Unit (STIU) 2025 Synergy Dinner.
He highlighted that in an era shaped by artificial intelligence (AI) and rapid digitalisation, adaptability has become a defining factor for effective governance. Transformation, he said, is no longer optional but a necessity for sustaining efficiency and public trust.
“Innovation is not just about technology, but about the way we think, solve problems and create added value in every responsibility,” he explained.
The State Secretary also outlined the 3R framework – Revisit, Rethink, Reimagine – as the foundation for transformation initiatives across government departments and agencies. These include programmes such as the Innovative and Creative Circle (KIK), Quality Control Circles (QCC), Result-Oriented Strategies (RSO) and the Balanced Scorecard.
He noted that methods once effective a decade ago may no longer be relevant today, particularly with the rise of AI-driven platforms such as ChatGPT and DeepSync, which are reshaping work processes and decision-making.
The remarks align with Sarawak’s broader digitalisation agenda, which aims to make all 1,106 state government services fully accessible online by 2030. According to Premier Datuk Patinggi Tan Sri Abang Johari Tun Openg, this initiative is designed to modernise governance, reduce bureaucracy and strengthen Sarawak’s position as a digitally advanced region.
The Sarawak Transformation and Innovation Unit (STIU) has also been recognised nationally for its role in bridging the innovation gap between East and West Malaysia, having showcased multiple projects at the Malaysia Technology Expo earlier this year.
Also present at the dinner were Datu Hii Chang Kee, Deputy State Secretary (Operations), Dato Ahmad Nadzri Mohd Hassan, Sarawak Federal Secretary, and Superi Awang Said, Director of STIU.
The event underscored the state’s commitment to embedding innovation into governance, ensuring that Sarawak’s civil service evolves in step with technological progress and public expectations.
