Answer for Oral Question PL254 & PL312

QUESTIONS

Yang Berhormat Pehin Orang Kaya Laila Setia Dato Seri Setia Awang Haji Abd. Rahman bin Haji Ibrahim

YANG BERHORMAT PEHIN ORANG KAYA LAILA SETIA DATO SERI SETIA AWANG HAJI ABDUL RAHMAN BIN HAJI IBRAHIM requested MENTERI DI JABATAN PERDANA MENTERI to state JPM’s plans to strengthen institutional development, including streamlining processes, strengthening skills training, as well as identifying and empowering talent in the Public Service. This is because, in addition to the use of modern technology and efficient digital systems, institutional development and talent empowerment (talent development) also play an important role in driving economic growth and innovation.

Yang Berhormat Awang Haji Md. Salleh bin Haji Othman

YANG BERHORMAT AWANG HAJI MOHD. SALLEH BIN HAJI OTHMAN requested MENTERI DI JABATAN PERDANA MENTERI to state the plans to strengthen the capacity, competency and skills of Government officers through continuous training, digitalisation and professional development so that service delivery to the people can be carried out more efficiently, effectively and responsively to current needs.

ANSWER

Yang Berhormat Menteri di Jabatan Perdana Menteri

I am pleased to first touch on the ongoing efforts of the Jabatan Perdana Menteri through the Civil Service Institute (IPA) to strengthen the capacity, competency and skills of government officers through continuous training, digitalisation and professional development, including the following initiatives:

a. First, through continuous training. IPA implements competency-based training programmes in the areas of leadership, change management, project management, digital technology, AI and data analytics according to the needs of Ministries and Departments. Through the Civil Service Leadership Pipeline (CSLP), participants also carry out Capacity Review Projects (CRP) to apply the knowledge learned in addressing real issues in the Public Service.

b. Second, through digitalisation. IPA strengthens the digital and AI capabilities of officers through various training programmes that help to increase productivity, accelerate work processes and support more innovative problem-solving. As a new initiative, the Civil Service AI Buildathon was introduced to enable officers to develop AI-based solutions to real challenges in the workplace. Through this programme, participants have been assisted in producing innovations, with several projects successfully selected to compete at the Anugerah Inovasi Perdana (AIP) level.

c. Third, through professional and talent development. IPA continues to offer internationally recognised professional certifications on a demand-driven basis according to the needs of Ministries and Departments. These include the Project Management Professional (PMP) certification to strengthen project management capabilities, Key Performance Indicators (KPI) certification to improve data-based performance management, and the Chartered Institute of Personnel and Development (CIPD) certification to strengthen strategic human resource management and talent development.

Next, in terms of talent identification and empowerment, to ensure that competency development is implemented more systematically, the Public Service Competency Development Framework (PSCDF) has been established to assist Ministries and Departments in identifying the required competencies, assessing skills gaps, and planning talent development as well as succession planning. This approach ensures that investments in training genuinely meet organisational needs and strengthen institutional capacity, while also ensuring the continuity of leadership and expertise in the Public Service.

For high-potential officers, the Civil Service Leadership Pipeline, or CSLP, provides several programmes to develop and enhance their capabilities. These include the Young Executive Programme, or YEP; the Executive Development Programme for Middle Management Officers, or EDPMMO; and the Executive Development Programme for Senior Government Officers, or EDPSGO.

Talent development is also implemented through the one-year Work Placement Programme for Public Service Officers in the Republic of Singapore, mentoring and Cross Fertilization. Through cross-fertilisation, officers are placed in other agencies to broaden their perspectives, knowledge, skills and work experience. This exposure also aims to enhance officers’ ability to adapt and adjust to changes and different governance situations.

Government officers are also given opportunities to enhance their capacity, competency and experience through job mobility, including secondment mechanisms to Government agencies, government-linked companies (GLCs) or relevant private-sector organisations. This approach enables officers to gain exposure to best practices, broaden their perspectives and strengthen their professional and leadership capabilities through experiential learning.

With regard to institutional development and streamlining work processes, emphasis is placed on efforts to strengthen systems and work processes and enhance organisational performance in the Public Service. In line with the Project Management Framework (PMF) for the Government’s digital transformation projects, the Management Services Department (MSD) serves as the Business Process Improvement (BPI) Advisor in the BPI Workstream, providing guidance on BPI methodology, work process assessments and improvement recommendations. This approach ensures that digital transformation does not merely digitise existing processes, but is also supported by more efficient, integrated and outcome-oriented work processes. As an initial step, the BPI Workshop held in June 2026, conducted in collaboration with the National E-Government Centre (EGNC) and the Civil Service Institute (IPA), involved six (6) Government agencies that will implement BPI for their respective digital transformation projects.

These institutional development efforts are further strengthened through the Public Sector Performance Grading Programme (3PSA), which assists agencies in identifying organisational gaps and areas for improvement, as well as the Reform and Improvement Intervention Programme (P2P), which provides structured guidance and consultation based on a learning-by-doing approach. This is intended to enhance agencies’ capacity to plan and implement reforms and improvements more systematically, while fostering a culture of improvement and innovation in the Public Service.

Overall, these plans are intended to ensure that institutional strengthening, work process improvement, and competency and talent development are implemented in a complementary manner. Through these efforts, the Jabatan Perdana Menteri aims to develop a more capable, agile and resilient Public Service, while leveraging modern technology and efficient digital systems to strengthen service delivery, produce innovative solutions, and support the country’s development and economic growth needs.