Tan Sri Mohd Sidek Hassan

Datuk Seri Wong Chun WaiChief Editor of The StarThere was a time when those who occupied the highest echelons of the Civil Serviceremained unseen, unheard and unnoticed in public. Although the Civil Servicepermeates every aspect of the ordinary citizens life, much of the interaction remains atthe front line level. Today, we see much improvement in the public delivery service andwe find it faster and easier to deal with many government departments. Paying a trafficsummons, renewing ones passport, driving licence or identity card is a breeze comparedto the past.It is the government’s resolve and the implementation zeal of the top bureaucrats that makeall this possible. The idea for a column in The Star featuring the top civil servants cameabout because of the need to connect these leading bureaucrats directly to the public.Through this column, readers were not only privy to their views but were also givencomplete access to them via their personal email. It has always been said that goodpolicies are often ruined by poor implementation.The column, aptly titled At Your Service, provided a direct line not only for people to filetheir complaints, but more importantly, for ideas to be channelled to Putrajaya.As Chief Secretary Tan Sri Mohd Sidek Hassan puts it: Without engagement, we willcontinue to operate in our own world view an ineffective proposition by any means, notsimply for the public service but for the public and country at large, too. Well said. Weat The Star are honoured to be part of this venture that seeks to bring the people closerto the people who are to be of service to them.Datuk Seri Wong Chun Wai11