The Public Services Department (JPA) has stated that no ethnic groups face discrimination during the civil servant selection process. In a statement, JPA highlighted that although Chinese applicants made up just 2% of all applications submitted between 2019 and 2023, their success rate was 85%.
The success rate for Indian applicants was 68%, followed by Orang Asli at 54%, Bumiputeras from Sabah and Sarawak at 45%, and other ethnic groups at 42%. In contrast, although Malay candidates represented 77% of the total applications, their success rate stood at 41%.
“These figures show that no group is discriminated against or marginalized during the selection process,” the statement said.
“The appointments are made in accordance with the government’s principle of choosing the most qualified and suitable candidates for available positions, based on their qualifications and performance in tests and interviews.”
As of December 31, the JPA reported that there were 1,302,429 civil servants across various ministries and agencies, excluding the police and armed forces. Among them, Malays accounted for 77.7%, Chinese for 5.4%, Indians for 3.7%, while the remaining positions were held by Bumiputeras from Sabah and Sarawak, Orang Asli, and other ethnic groups.
The JPA stated that the disparity in ethnic representation within the public service was a result of the low number of non-Malay applicants. It added that the government would persist in enhancing the civil service recruitment system to make it more efficient, transparent, and accessible to all citizens.
The JPA stated that the government encouraged qualified Malaysians to join the public service in order to contribute to the nation’s development, fostering more equal and inclusive opportunities for everyone.
Source: Free Malaysia Today
