27 Secretaries General To Present First Quarter Performance Reports Next Month

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Tan Sri Shamsul Azri Abu Bakar delivers his keynote address during the closing ceremony of the roundtable session in Sepang. -NSTP/MOHD FADLI HAMZAHSEPANG: The first quarter performance reports for 27 secretaries-general of federal ministries are expected to be presented to the Chief Secretary to the Government, Tan Sri Shamsul Azri bin Abu Bakar, by next month.
He said the reports are part of the newly introduced Demerit Performance Evaluation (DEEP) system, which is designed to ensure that the performance of heads of departments and public service leaders remains at the highest standard.
It also includes a "remerit" element, which rewards improvement and compliance with governance standards.
"A pilot implementation of DEEP was conducted for 13 secretaries-general last year, with full adoption approved for this year.
"DEEP adopts a more objective and continuous reporting approach through monthly, quarterly, and semi-annual evaluations," he said.
The system was piloted in 2024 with 13 secretaries-general and has now been fully implemented.
Under DEEP, the key performance indicators include financial management, project implementation status and misconduct reporting.
Additionally, the government's Bureaucratic Reform Programme, initially aimed to stimulate private sector growth, may save RM1.5 billion in costs this year.
Shamsul said this initiative was introduced by the Malaysia Productivity Corporation and implemented using a whole-of-government approach.
"Through this approach, complex processes have been streamlined, unnecessary bureaucratic hurdles that impede smooth operations have been removed, and greater space for innovation has been unlocked through the Circular on Regulatory Experimentation, which enables government agencies to pilot new policies and procedures in a structured and controlled manner," he said.
This year, more than 700 additional projects have been registered, bringing the total to 972.
In 2024, 200 projects were launched across federal, state, and local government levels, resulting in regulatory compliance cost savings amounting to RM542 million.
To date, 62 RKB projects have been completed. - NST

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