The political secretary to Prime Minister Datuk Seri Anwar Ibrahim, Chan Ming Kai, has encouraged more Chinese Malaysians to join the civil service, stressing that representation within the country’s administrative system is crucial.
Speaking at a sharing session titled “Civil Service Career — Opportunities as Administrative and Diplomatic Officers (PTD)”, Chan said he was not tasked with handling only Chinese community affairs despite being a Chinese political secretary.
According to China Press, he reminded attendees that limiting oneself to only Chinese-related issues would be “too narrow in perspective.”
Instead, he said individuals should leverage their understanding of different cultures and communities to address broader national matters.
Representation in decision-making levels important
Chan also highlighted that if the Chinese community lacks representation in key decision-making levels within the administrative system, it would be difficult to influence how government institutions operate.
He explained that the administrative system functions very differently from politics, and those in senior civil service roles often hold significant influence in shaping policies and governance.
If the administrative system has such a huge influence, then those who hold the highest positions within it are even more important,” he reportedly said.
Chan therefore encouraged Chinese youths to consider joining the civil service and even aiming for positions within the core of the country’s power structure, saying they may sometimes have greater opportunities to drive change compared to politicians.
Few Chinese applying for civil service
Citing statistics, Chan revealed that around one million people apply to become civil servants each year, but only a small fraction are Chinese applicants.
Of that number, about 900,000 applicants are Malays, while only around 10,000 are Chinese, making up roughly 1% of the total applicants.
He also shared figures for last year’s Administrative and Diplomatic Officer (PTD) applications, which showed:
- 85,000 Malay applicants
- 1,300 Chinese applicants
- 4,300 Indian applicants
- 4,800 applicants from Sabah
- 3,100 applicants from Sarawak
- Around 100 Orang Asli applicants
Chan added that during the PTD examination stage, there were 67,000 Malay candidates, compared to 1,000 Chinese candidates.
He noted that some Chinese applicants submitted their forms without fully understanding the eligibility requirements.
“We screen the first round not based on race, but because some applicants simply do not meet the qualifications,” he explained.
Civil servants play key role in nation building
Meanwhile, Malaysian Chinese Civil Servants Association president Lai Lai Ching (transliteration) said that the number of Chinese youths entering the civil service has been gradually declining, often due to a lack of awareness about the available opportunities.
She also clarified that the PTD role is often misunderstood.
Many people translate PTD as “Administrative and Diplomatic Officer” and assume it mainly involves foreign affairs or working overseas, but the role actually covers various administrative and policy-related responsibilities within the government.
Lai expressed hope that parents, teachers, and community leaders would encourage young people to explore careers in public service.
She added that when people from diverse backgrounds participate in public service, the entire nation benefits.
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