Kuala lumpur: Stronger cross-country collaboration and policy innovation are crucial to ensure ASEAN’s public service remains relevant and effective amid global uncertainties, said Public Service Department (PSD) director-general Tan Sri Wan Ahmad Dahlan Abdul Aziz. He stated that no nation can progress in isolation as the world faces transboundary challenges such as climate change, geopolitical tensions, technological disruptions, and global health crises.
According to BERNAMA News Agency, Wan Ahmad Dahlan emphasized the importance of rethinking governance, fostering collaboration, and innovating solutions to address these challenges. He highlighted that the future of ASEAN’s public service depends on collective efforts, policy innovation, and developing adaptable leaders. Strengthening strategies to develop a resilient and agile workforce is crucial, and by combining talent, purpose, and digital capabilities, ASEAN can continue serving its citizens effectively, even amid major disruptions.
Wan Ahmad Dahlan noted that civil servants are the backbone of national institutions, and their values, skills, and dedication will determine the success of efforts to build a future-ready public service. He stressed the need for continuous capacity-building, future skills development, and cultivating ethical and empathetic leaders. Technology, when harnessed wisely, serves as a powerful enabler of transformation, with digitalisation driving more efficient, transparent, and inclusive public services across the region.
He also mentioned that the one-day ASEAN Conference on Future-Ready Public Service achieved many milestones, especially in five priority areas: enhancing public sector workforce competencies and standards, building institutional capacities, transformative leadership, strengthening ASEAN Resource Centres, and public sector reform and modernization. Each country presented their approaches, learning from one another’s strengths to improve respective public services.
Wan Ahmad Dahlan confirmed that delegates agreed to adopt the Declaration on Future-Ready Public Service, which will be passed to the Technical Working Group for implementation.