KUCHING: The Leadership Institute of Sarawak Civil Service is expected to play a central role in shaping a new generation of civil servants capable of meeting Sarawak’s evolving development needs.
Former State Secretary, Tan Sri Mohamad Morshidi Abdul Ghani, described it as a platform for developing leaders, not merely for conducting courses, during an interview with Sarawak Tribune.
He said the institute was founded on a broader mission to create a world-class civil service that is competent, knowledgeable and ready to serve the people in an increasingly complex environment.
“Our vision is to be a world-class civil service. World-class means top-class. We are the platinum standard. We are diamond standard,” he stressed.
He said achieving that vision required more than routine administration; it demanded continuous training, talent development and a clear understanding of the purpose of government.
“You cannot penalise an officer for not doing a good job if he’s not trained. You must train him,” he added.
According to him, the institute’s role is to produce officers who are not only technically capable but also able to lead.
“All this training is training to build leaders. That’s why our leadership institute is about building leaders,” he said.
The needs of the civil service were also changing alongside the state’s wider economic direction, especially in areas such as digitalisation, hydrogen, sustainable aviation fuel and new technologies.
“The training keeps changing because the world is changing,” Morshidi said.
He added that if the civil service is not trained in these emerging areas, it will be difficult to support the Premier’s long-term vision for Sarawak.
“If you don’t train civil service, you cannot achieve his vision,” he opined.
Morshidi said his hope is for the institute to help produce future leaders who can drive the economy, strengthen governance and ultimately, benefit the people.
“My aspiration for this institute is that it can turn a lot more civil service to become leaders. Leaders who have competency in digitalisation and leaders who can drive the economy of Sarawak,” he added.
Even so, he said the true value of the institute would lie not in its physical completion but in the difference it makes to people and to the future of the state.
“This is not just a building. It is a foundation,” he reiterated,
Morshidi hopes the institute and the book documenting its history will continue to inspire the civil service to grow, adapt and keep moving forward.
“All the best to the leadership institute for making this happen. The leadership institute will be the platform for more growth, better growth,” he concluded.
