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How Malaysia works
Current topicThe civil service: who actually delivers services

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Civic guideHow Malaysia works
  1. 01
    FoundationsStart with the institutions and levels of government.
    System overviewHow Malaysia is governedFederal legislatureParliament, Dewan Rakyat and Dewan NegaraState legislatureWhat a state assembly does
  2. 02
    Representation and responsibilityWork out who represents you and which institution owns an issue.
    Representation guideMP vs ADUN: who represents what?Who is responsible?Federal, state and local responsibilityVacancy and by-electionWhat happens when a seat becomes vacant?
  3. 03
    Power and processRead majorities, government formation and law-making without political shorthand.
    Voting thresholdWhat a two-thirds majority meansConfidence and governmentHow a federal government is formedLegislative processHow a bill becomes law in MalaysiaConstitutional monarchyThe Yang di-Pertuan Agong
  4. 04
    Elections and the voteUnderstand who votes, how boundaries are set and what keeps a mandate with its party.
    Elections and the voteWho can vote and how voting worksElections and the voteHow electoral boundaries are drawnElections and the voteThe anti-party-hopping law
  5. 05
    Government machineryMeet the executive institutions that carry out what elections decide.
    Executive governmentThe federal government: Cabinet, ministries and agenciesState executiveState governments and the EXCOPermanent machineryThe civil service: who actually delivers services
Reference deskMalaysian political and election glossary

Permanent machinery

The civil service: who actually delivers services

The permanent public service behind elected politicians: federal departments, state administrations, district offices and local authorities.

Direct answer

Elected politicians set policy, but services are delivered by a permanent, politically neutral public service: federal ministries and their departments, state administrations under a State Secretary, district and land offices, and local authorities. Knowing which tier owns an issue is the fastest way to get it resolved.

Worked example

Four tiers on one street

On one street you can renew a MyKad at a federal department branch, settle a land title at the state land office, pay assessment tax to the local authority and take a district matter to the District Office. Knowing the tier saves the extra rounds.

Sources: Local Government Department; Ministry of Housing and Local Government

Federal service head
Chief Secretary (KSN)
State service head
State Secretary (SUK)
District tier
District and Land Office
Local tier
Local authority (PBT)

Permanent and politically neutral

The public service continues across changes of government. Officers are appointed through service commissions rather than by politicians, and they serve whichever administration holds office. The Chief Secretary to the Government coordinates the federal service, each ministry's administration is run by its Secretary-General, and federal departments maintain branches in every state, which is why a National Registration or Road Transport office in a state capital is federal machinery, not state machinery.

  • Civil servants are not political appointees and do not change with governments.
  • Service commissions handle appointments, protecting political neutrality.
  • Federal departments operate state and district branches across the country.
  • The federal service and each state's service are separate employers with their own heads.

Sources: MyGovernment; Attorney General's Chambers

Four tiers touch the citizen

A single town is served by four tiers at once: federal department branches for matters such as identity documents and road transport, state departments under the State Secretary for matters such as land, the district and land office under a District Officer in Peninsular states, and the local authority for municipal services. Local councillors are appointed by state governments: local council elections have been suspended since 1965 and were not restored by the Local Government Act 1976.

  • Identity documents come from a federal department; a land title comes from the state's land office.
  • Municipal services and assessment tax belong to the local authority under state oversight.
  • In Peninsular states the District Officer heads district administration and the land office.
  • Local councillors are appointed, not elected; there have been no local council elections since the 1960s.

Sources: Local Government Department; Ministry of Housing and Local Government

Common questions

Do civil servants change when the government changes?

No. The public service is permanent and politically neutral. Ministers and EXCO members change; departments and their staff continue.

Are local councillors elected?

No. Local council elections have been suspended since 1965, and the Local Government Act 1976 did not restore them. Councillors are appointed by state governments.

Who is the District Officer?

In Peninsular states, the head of district administration and the district and land office, and usually the first stop for land and district matters.