UNIVERSITI TEKNOLOGI MARA CAWANGAN PAHANG (KAMPUS RAUB)

FACULTY OF ADMINISTRATIVE SCIENCE AND POLICY STUDIES

AM110

DIPLOMA IN PUBLIC ADMINISTRATION

PAD 102

THE IDEA OF PUBLIC PERSONNEL ADMINISTRATION AND THE

CHALLENGES FACED BY THE GOVERNMENT AGENCIES TO ENSURE THE
PERFORMANCE OF THE PUBLIC SERVANT DURING THE COVID-19
PANDEMIC

PREPARED BY :

NAME MATRIC NUMBER

Siti Dayana Batrisya Binti Mujibur Rahman 2022831856

Nurul Aliyah Imani Binti Mohd Khir 2022833956

Siti Zulaikha Binti Azhar 2022663146

CLASS: AM1101J

PREPARED FOR : MISS NURULHAZANI BINTI HALIM

SUBMISSION DATE : 13 / 1 / 2023

 THE IDEA OF PUBLIC PERSONNEL ADMINISTRATION

1.0 INTRODUCTION

Public personnel administration is one of the most important factors in the public
administration organization in order to ensure the goals of the organization can be
reached. Public personnel administration is also called human resources management.
This means that in this context, human resources management is focusing on the
importance of the public servant’s well-being and needs in order to achieve the best
resource which is the public servant so that the product from these resources is used
efficiently and effectively. According to Robert D. Gatewood (1995), he defines
‘Personal Administration’ or Human Resource Management as “All activities that
forecast on the number and type of employee an organization will need and then find and
develop employees with the necessary skills”. This means that in a certain organization, it
is a requirement for them to recruit and arrange employees based on their technical and
interpersonal skills. These employees also need training that is given by the organizer so
that they are given exposure to the system and the mechanism of the organization. It is the
managers’ responsibility to ensure the development of the human resource is done
effectively so that the goal of an organization is achieved at the same time does not
damage the human resources. Other than that, public personnel administration is also the
establishment and application of policies and procedures for the procurement,
deployment, and maintenance of a public organization’s workforce (Siegel & Myrtle,
1985). Based on this statement, Public Personnel Administration is an effort of
intermediate between the government and the public servant for them to claim their right
as government employees by allowing the government to implement the rules and
policies for a public servant in order to control the movement of the act of the public
servant and also to promote fair justice for all the public servant so that the quality of the
human resources is protected. The concept of Public Personnel Administration gives
managers some more ideas on how to interpret and control the management of their
employees and newcomers to ensure that the usage of skills from the public servant is
used effectively and efficiently at the same time be aware of the importance of taking care
of the humans’ wellbeing because in order to deal with people, the managers need to
require a high skill with human management since human is the hardest resources for
managers to control but also the main factor for the achievement in an organization.

2.0 IMPORTANCE OF PUBLIC PERSONNEL ADMINISTRATION

The purposes or importance of personnel administrations in the public sector are

many in order to ensure the goals of the organization can be reached to achieve the best
resource which is the public servant so that the product from these resources is used
efficiently and effectively. According to Michael J. Jucius, personnel administration
should aim at attaining economically and effectively the organizational, goals which is
serving to the highest possible degree the individual goals, preserving and advancing the
general welfare of the community. To obtain these objectives, personnel administration is
concerned with planning, organizing, directing, coordinating, and controlling the
cooperative efforts of individuals within an organization.
So, first and foremost, the importance of personnel administrations in the public
sector is it helps the organization in making the right decisions in hiring the right people,
or competent people, for the right job. It also helps to develop their potential and gives
them the right motivation to ensure productivity and a fair return on the organization’s
investment. It ensures that employees who are the greatest and most valued assets of the
organization are efficiently and effectively used and managed through proper planning
and implementation of relevant policies and programs that can enhance employees’
ability and performance in the organization’s overall efforts to achieve its goals and
objectives. It helps the organization in developing a competitive advantage in the form of
lower cost of production, development of innovative products, and unique methods of
product marketing. It brings together and develops into an effective organization of the
employees who make up an enterprise and taking into consideration their well-being and
enabling them to make their best contribution to the success of the organization.
Next, it helps in providing training opportunities (and scholarships) to public servants.
Efforts or initiatives are taken by an organization to ensure employees have the right
knowledge, skills, and abilities to do the current and future job challenges. The process of
teaching employees the skills they need to perform their current job efficiently. In the
other words, training and development describe the formal, ongoing efforts that are made
within organizations to improve the performance and self-fulfillment of their employees
through a variety of educational methods and programs. In the modern workplace, these
efforts have taken on a broad range of applications from instruction in highly specific job
skills to long-term professional development. In recent years, training and development
have emerged as a formal business function, an integral element of strategy, and a
recognized profession with distinct theories and methodologies. More and more
companies of all sizes have embraced continual learning and other aspects of training and
development as a means of promoting employee growth and acquiring a highly skilled
workforce. In fact, the quality of employees and the continual improvement of their skills
and productivity through training, are now wildly recognized as vital factors in ensuring
the long-term success and profitability of small businesses. In general, training programs
have a very specific process and quantifiable goals like operating a particular piece of
machinery, understanding a specific process, or performing certain procedures with great
precision.
Furthermore, it helps the organization in planning for the current and future personnel
administration intake and administration. Personnel planning is identifying personnel that
is human resource requirements to ensure that the required number of employees with the
required skills are available when needed. According to Mondy and Noe, personnel
planning is a process of systematically reviewing human resource requirements to ensure
that the required number of employees with the required skills is available when needed.
Thus, according to French, personnel planning is a process of assessing the organization’s
human resource needs in the light of organizational goals and making plans to ensure that
a competent, stable workforce is employed. Besides, according to Burack, and Mathys,
personnel planning is a process of obtaining the right number and kinds of people at the
right time in order to fulfill organizational needs.
Besides that, it views human resources or personnel as the most important assets.
Every organization needs to value its employees as an asset. Their employees’ skills,
abilities, knowledge, and experience are intangible and invaluable assets in securing the
organization’s future. Employees’ abilities, knowledge, and experience cannot be
assigned a monetary value. No two employees are the same. And although one can
substitute the other for some operations, they will have different quirks and techniques in
working that will affect the whole company dynamics. Valued employees’ positive mood
will directly impact the processes, profits and productivity of the organization. They will
gladly engage in the organization to overtake competitors and stand or grow with the
company.
3.0 PUBLIC PERSONNEL AGENCIES

Being a public sector agency personnel in the provision of high-performance

human resources capable of providing excellent service through policies formulation and
management of human resources for Public Service in Malaysia. Public Service
Department (PSD) or Jabatan Perkhidmatan Awam (JPA) is responsible for public
service in Malaysia. The vision of PSD is high-performing, integrity, dynamic, and
citizen-centric Public Service. The mission is to be the principal adviser to the
government in the personnel affairs of the Public Service, to plan manpower requirements
of Public Service Quality, to determine the optimal structure and size, and to manage the
relationship of employers and employees towards creating a harmonious environment. In
general, the role of PSD is to regulate and implement personnel policies to ensure that all
public services have efficient and disciplined staff. PSD can be divided into 8 divisions.
Administration Unit, Appointment Unit, Service Unit, Salary and Allowances Unit,
Consultancy Unit, Career Training Unit and Development Unit, INTAN, and the last
division is Pension Unit. The function of the Public Service Department (PSD) is to
regulate policies to employ and terminate workers/staff, post-election, and discipline in
the public sector. Besides, it regulates policy for salary, allowances, and pension for
public service workers. It also creates posts or positions in public service. This task is
done together with the exchequer. PSD is committed to solving problems arising from an
unsatisfying feeling among workers in public service, especially in matters concerning
salary, allowances, pension, and anomalies through consultancy. And last, to provide staff
training through INTAN and scholarship.
Next, the other example of public personnel agency is The Public Services
Commission (PSC), Malaysia, or Suruhanjaya Perkhidmatan Awam (SPA) was founded
on the 31st of August 1957, which is the Independence Day of Malaysia. The declaration
of Independence Day on the 31st of August 1957 itself initiated a new supreme and
independent order and leadership in the Federation of Malaysia. Officially The Public
Services Commission was formed according to Article 144 (1) of the Federal
Constitution. Article 144(1) is referred to subject to the provisions of any existing law and
to the provisions of this Constitution, it shall be the duty of a Commission to which thus
Part applies to appoint, confirm, and emplace on the permanent or pensionable
establishment, promote, transfer and exercise disciplinary control over members of the
service to which its jurisdiction extends. The Public Services Commission of Malaysia’s
function under Article 144(1) of the Federal Constitution stipulated 6 main functions of
the Commission, which are among others. Firstly, appointment. The Commission
manages the appointment of personnel in the Public Service on permanent, temporary,
contractual, temporary transfer, and loan status. It also has the authority to terminate the
services of personnel in the Public Service according to the appointment’s directive. In
addition, the Commission has empowered Ministries and Federal Departments as well as
relevant State Administrative Government for posts in the Support Group (Group D
JKK). Secondly, Confirmation of Service. The Commission has the authority to confirm
personnel in the Public Service of their services, to extend the trial period, to return
personnel to an original post or to terminate the services due to failure at being confirmed
their services. It has empowered the Ministries and Federal Departments as well as
relevant State Administrative Government to confirm the services for posts in the Support
Group (Group D JKK). Thirdly, Conferment into Pension Status. The Commission
manages the conferment into pension status of personnel in the Public Service who are
confirmed in Service and has served in services deemed pension status for not less than 3
years. This does not relate to the Support Group (Group D JKK). Fourthly, Promotion.
The Commission functions as a Board of Promotion for promotion to posts for members
from the Public Service Boards of Promotion as well as promotion to a higher grade
under the Integrated Service Scheme. Additionally, it also functions as a Board of Appeal
for the Public Service Promotion as provided under the relevant Orders of the Public
Service’s Board of Promotion. Fifthly, Transfer of Services. The Commission has the
authority to transfer permanent personnel in Public Service from one service to another
scheme of service of equal grade. It also has the authority to transfer permanent officers
appointed on temporary transfer or loan. Lastly, the role of the PSC is disciplinary
control. The Commission is a relevant Disciplinary Authority for disciplinary actions with
the purpose of dismissal or demotion of officers in the Highest Management Group and
the Professional Management Group. It also acts as the Public Service Disciplinary Board
of Appeal as provided by the relevant Orders of the Public Service Disciplinary Board.
4.0 TWO CHALLENGES FACED BY GOVERNMENT AGENCIES TO MAKE SURE
PUBLIC SERVANT CAN PERFORM THEIR FUNCTION EFFECTIVELY DURING
COVID-19

When the Coronavirus pandemic has transformed the work and workplaces of the public
sector. Public servants are playing a leading role in the response to the pandemic. Healthcare
workers are keeping the medical system functioning and family safe. Civil servants are
finding novel ways to design and channel unprecedented economic stimulus spending and
manage severe spikes in unemployment. In ensuring that public servant can perform their
function effectively during the pandemic COVID-19. The government faces a few problems
because this COVID-19 pandemic not only takes a toll on earth as a citizen but also leaves a
huge impact on the government.

The challenges faced by the government agency to make sure public servant can perform
their function effectively during covid is the government is not able to adequate the needs and
facilities of the public servant. We are all aware that many employees have been working
from home since the beginning of the COVID-19 pandemic. This is because of the movement
control order (MCO), which requires everyone who works in an office or company to only
work from home. Without proper facilities, such as computers for the employee working
from home, certain public servants cannot do their duties. Due to a lack of appropriate
workspaces, public employees are less flexible in how they can do their tasks. Work from
home is for public servants who need to face to face and be able to interact with another
person virtually during working days. It is also a problem that government agency has in
ensuring that employees can carry out their duties efficiently during pandemics COVID-19.
In order to protect us from infection at the time, the government suggests developing work-
from-home opportunities. In addition, by doing so, people will become closer to their family
members. The government must make the public servant message or create a Google form to
ensure that they sign their presence as the new norms in their everyday work lives in order to
ensure that they can fulfill their duties efficiently during COVID-19.

The other challenge faced by the government agency to make sure public servant can
perform their function effectively during covid is there are not enough frontline personal
protective equipment (PPE) kits supplied by the government. It is equipment that wants to
minimize exposure to various kinds of viruses and risks. The shortage of PPE kits for
hospitals in Malaysia forces nurses and front liners to wear surgical masks instead of more
protective masks such as n95 masks, this explains why there are high transmission rates
among public servants, especially the front liners. Personal protective equipment is used by
healthcare workers to keep both themselves and their patients safe from infection and the
spread of disease. Due to a lack of access to items including gloves, medical masks,
respirators, goggles, face shields, gowns, and aprons, doctors, nurses, and other frontline
workers are severely underprepared to care for COVID-19 patients. The risk to healthcare
workers worldwide without safe supply chains is serious. Governments must act quickly to
increase supply, ease export restrictions, and implement policies that prevent speculation and
stockpiling. Global shortages were caused by the unexpected rise in demand for PPE brought
on by the number of COVID-19 instances, incorrect information, panic buying, and
stockpiling. All involved, including healthcare facilities under the Health Ministry, academic
institutions, and the private sector, must consent to the use of a uniform PPE usage guideline,
mandatory training for trainers on the guideline before it is taught to all healthcare staff, as
well as internal and external audits to determine how well healthcare workers are adhering to
the guideline and to take remedial actions to improve compliance.
5.0 CONCLUSION

Public Personnel Administration or other words, human resources management is a

main factor for the success of an organization as it can determine whether the organization
can fully manage its employees starting from the selection of the public servant which is the
citizen itself, followed by managing the classification of each bureaucrat based on their skills,
experience, training and etc. in order to produce the best quality of employee until the very
end of their duty as a public servant from the management of their needs wellbeing. All of
this should be taken seriously by the manager in order to produce at the same time use this
human resource efficiently and effectively. In order to achieve the effectiveness and
efficiency of human resources, these resources should undergo an orderly process of human
resource management starting from interviewing and selection, recruitment and placement,
motivation, training and development, compensation, benefits and promotions, disciplinary
control, and lastly employee’s health and safety. In this process, both manager and
subordinates play a big role in order to allow this process flows smoothly. Managers as a
mentor and supervisors for the employee also the ones that evaluate the potential of their
employees. Employees will be the ones that be the product of human resource management
and also the main factor for the success of the organization to achieve their objective or vice
versa.

In the Malaysian’s government, Public Service Department (PSD) or Jabatan

Perkhidmatan Awam (JPA) is an agency that is responsible for human resource management.
So, PSD is the one who will do the first and preliminary selections of public workers based
on the job scopes or specialization in order for them to work and contribute to the
development of the nation as per their objective. At last, careful planning, coordination, and
implementation of human resource policy with the consent of public servants are important to
ensure a productive workforce, professional and disciplined manpower, and also for the
development of civil service in Malaysia.
6.0 REFERENCE

Robert D. Gatewood. (1995). Management: Comprehension, Analysis, and

Application. Chicago: Austin Press. P.394.
Gilbert B. Siegel & Rpbert C. Myrtle. (1985). Public Personnel Administration:
Concept and Practices. Texas: Houghton Mifflin Harcourt
(2021). Topic 5 Pad102, https://www.studocu.com
Rasyiddin Razman. (2016). PPT 5 1 Introduction to to PPA. Shah Alam