As Deepavali approaches, ex-MP urges govt to close gaps on Indian representation in civil service

Although Indian Malaysians account for about 6.5 percent of the population, their representation in the civil service remains disproportionately low, former Klang MP Charles Santiago said, urging the government to address the disparity.

On Oct 14, Minister in the Prime Minister’s Department (Sabah and Sarawak) Mustapha Sakmud told the Dewan Rakyat that Indians accounted for just 3.63 percent of the country’s civil service.

That is 47,349 Indians out of 1.3 million public servants, the New Straits Times reported. 

Charles estimated that the civil service would need about 37,000 more Indian officers to reflect the community’s share of the population, saying the workforce should comprise approximately 85,000 Indian officers.

“⁠From 2021 to 2025, Malaysian Indians submitted 194,807 applications to the Public Services Commission. Only 5,289 were hired, which is 2.71 percent. 

“The public should know who, on what criteria, and whether every community is shortlisted at the same rate... Merit cannot be used to explain away these numbers while the process behind them stays opaque,” he said in a statement today.

The DAP MP added that if applicants were rejected due to a lack of qualifications, the government should provide targeted upskilling programmes and courses to help bridge the gap.

He said such initiatives would offer a more meaningful form of assistance than one-off Sumbangan Asas Rahmah (Sara) payments, which he argued provided only temporary relief.

Among his proposals are setting targets and deadlines for Indian representation in the civil service, funding pathways into public service for B60 Indian workers, and developing specific plans for ministries where Indian officers were severely underrepresented.

Charles stressed that, as the country’s largest employer, the government had direct influence over employment and promotion opportunities that could help improve the community's socio-economic standing.

“A government job means a steady salary and a chance that the next generation does better. 

“It is one of the few ladders of upward mobility the government can directly provide, and that opportunity should begin this Deepavali,” he said.

Bone of contention

The underrepresentation of non-Malays in the civil service has often fuelled perceptions of discrimination and unequal opportunities for career advancement within the public sector.

Earlier today, former economy minister Rafizi Ramli similarly discussed the challenges faced by Indian Malaysians in rising through the ranks of the civil service in a tribute to the late Economy Ministry deputy secretary-general (Macro) V Valluvan.

Rafizi recalled that he had considered Valluvan the most qualified candidate for the deputy secretary-general position in 2024, but encountered resistance when pushing for his promotion to the role.

“The signal I received from higher up was that promoting Vallu to Jusa A grade would upset the balance. I did insist, and, as expected, my insistence ruffled a few feathers.

“In the end, he was promoted to deputy secretary-general of the ministry at Jusa A grade, the least he deserved for the long years of service to the nation,” Rafizi said.

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