A source said the letter of termination was issued to Shafiq Abdulah, 58, today but said it has nothing to do with change of government. (Bernama pic)
PETALING JAYA: The government is believed to have terminated the services of the director-general of public services, Shafiq Abdullah, from today.
According to informed sources, the action was taken at the recommendation of the disciplinary board, which made the decision before the 15th general election was called.
“But the previous government decided to wait for the elections to be over before acting,” one source told FMT.
Shafiq had been involved in controversy in August after an immigration officer complained that Shafiq had berated him in public. A high-level committee was later formed to carry out investigations.
However, it is not known if the action against him was related to the incident. An official complaint was lodged by the immigration department which led to an investigation ordered by the Chief Secretary to the government, Zuki Ali.
The investigation panel was headed by Attorney-General Idrus Harun and comprised the Inspector-General of Police, Acryl Sani Abdullah Sani, chief commissioner of the Malaysian Anti-Corruption Commission, Azam Baki, and the Auditor-General, Nik Azman Nik Abdul.
The committee made its recommendations in October but no details are available on its decision.
Shafiq was head of the Public Services Department (JPA), the federal government’s central agency for the management of the country’s various public services.
He had been secretary-general of the health ministry before being appointed to the JPA in February.
FMT is seeking comment from Shafiq.
