PUBLIC SERVICE COMMISSION DOES NOT DISCRIMINATE IN GENDER INTAKE

PUTRAJAYA, March 1 (Bernama) -- The Public Service Commission (PSC) does not
have any gender bias in intake for any positions, said commission secretary
Lamien Lawiyo Monday.

According to him positions were filled based on qualification and criteria
depending on positions applied for without regard to gender.

The commission he said has never differentiated between men and women as
their qualification and criteria were determined by the positions applied for.

"They are appointed based on the work need. For example, the Prisons
Department asks for female personnel for the Women's Prison and we consider
their request," he told reporters after here Monday.

Lamien said this when asked to comment on the statement of Cuepacs
(Congress of Unions of Employees in the Public and Civil Services)
secretary-general, Ahmad Shah Mohd Zin, who recently said that the domination of
women in the public sector was worrying as it could have a long term impact on
the country's economic development.

Ahmad Shah said many women had been given the responsibility to make
important decisions.

He said almost three-quarters of the new positions in the Adminstrative and
Public Service (PTD) had been filled by women, as against the government's
policy to allocate only 30 per cent for 'decision-makers' of that group.

Ahmad Shah's statement also received comment from Prime Minister, Najib
Razak, who said the achievements and quality of work was what was important to
the government and not the matter of gender.

According to Najib, it was not a matter of surprise that the PTD would be
dominated by women if the number of females in universities continued to
increase.

Lamien also said of the 490 PTD positions opened up, 250 were awarded to
males and the rest to females.

"The PSC is still awaiting feedback from several ministries and government
agencies on the estimated vacancies this year," he said.
-- BERNAMA