PUTRAJAYA, Jan 20 — The Public Service Department (JPA) will conduct a study to assess the impact of artificial intelligence (AI) on civil service positions.
JPA director-general Tan Sri Wan Ahmad Dahlan Abdul Aziz said the study aims to ensure the public sector staffing structure remains relevant while supporting more efficient and effective service delivery.
“This is important because AI is already capable of taking over routine and analytical tasks,” he said in his New Year address to JPA staff, broadcast on the department’s official Facebook page today.
He said heads of departments must review the job descriptions of officers under their supervision based on the study’s findings, to ensure positions remain relevant and competitive.
“This step is critical to ensure the significant investment allocated by the government for retraining and reskilling public officers over the past few years yields commensurate returns,” he said.
Wan Dahlan said heads of departments must also possess strong metacognitive capabilities to guide the workforce in understanding thinking processes, learning and behavioural adaptation in an increasingly complex and uncertain work environment.
“In this AI era, a leader’s wisdom is reflected in the ability to strategically identify tasks that require a human touch and those that can be more efficiently optimised through machines,” he said.
He also announced the launch of JPA’s Strategic Plan 2026-2030, which outlines five strategic thrusts to drive public service reform, particularly to accelerate policy implementation, simplify processes for the public and strengthen the capacity of the national administrative machinery.
He said the plan would be implemented through 11 strategies, 40 programmes and 91 targets over the next five years as the department’s main operational guide.
In addition, Wan Dahlan said JPA would launch its Digitalisation Strategic Plan 2026-2030 in the first half of this year, encompassing four strategic thrusts, 18 strategies and 129 programmes to strengthen digital delivery, infrastructure capabilities, talent development and governance.
He also called on civil servants to be prepared for an increasingly challenging work landscape amid rapid technological advancements and rising public expectations for government services.
He stressed that the public service must remain relevant, responsive and resilient in a rapidly changing environment.
Wan Dahlan added that higher salaries would naturally lead to greater public expectations, noting that the theme of this year’s address, “Menerajui Tekad Reformasi (Leading the Push for Reform)”, reflects civil servants’ readiness to lead Malaysia’s transformation into a more prosperous and progressive nation grounded in Madani values.
