Chief Secretary to the Government of Malaysia

Chief Secretary to the Government of Malaysia
Ketua Setiausaha Negara
كتوا ستياءوسها نڬارا‎
Coat of arms of Malaysia
since 12 August 2024
Prime Minister's Department
StyleYang Berbahagia
AbbreviationKSN
Member ofCabinet
Reports toPrime Minister
SeatLevel 4 East, Perdana Putra, Putrajaya
NominatorPrime Minister
AppointerYang di-Pertuan Agong
on the advice of Prime Minister
Inaugural holderAbdul Aziz Majid
Formation1 August 1957; 67 years ago (1957-08-01)
SalaryMYR 23,577 monthly [1]
Websitewww.ksn.gov.my

The Chief Secretary to the Government (Malay: Ketua Setiausaha Negara; Jawi: كتوا ستياءوسها نڬارا‎) is the most senior officer in the Malaysian Civil Service, secretary to the Cabinet of Malaysia and secretary-general of the Prime Minister's Department.

History

The title of "Chief Secretary to the Government" in Malaysia dates back to the Federated Malay States. In 1911, it replaced the office of Resident-General as head of the British colonial administration. The inaugural Chief Secretary was Edward Lewis Brockman. After 1936, the administrative powers of Chief Secretary was transferred to the British High Commissioner.

Appointment

The appointment of the Chief Secretary to the Government is made under Article 144(3) of the Federal Constitution, where it needs to be approved by His Majesty Yang di-Pertuan Agong, on the certificate of the Public Service Commission with the advice of the Prime Minister.[2]

Role

The Chief Secretary to the Government is the head of the Civil Service of Malaysia and the highest-ranking civil servant in the Federal Government of Malaysia. He attends Cabinet meetings as its secretary and monitors the implementation of its policies.[3] He also heads the large Prime Minister's Department, which is in charge of, among others, supporting the Prime Minister, administration of the civil service, state protocol and Islamic affairs.[3]

In addition, the Chief Secretary chairs the meetings of Ministry secretaries-general and meetings of Department directors-general.[4]

List of Chief Secretary to the Government

The following is the list of Chief Secretaries to the Government:[5]

# Image Chief Secretary to the Government Term of office Prime Minister
Took office Left office Time in office
1. Tun
Abdul Aziz Majid
(1908–1975) 		1 August 1957 31 August 1964 7 years, 31 days Tunku Abdul Rahman
(1957–1970)
Abdul Razak Hussein
(1970–1976)
Hussein Onn
(1976–1981)
2. Tan Sri Dato' Seri
Abdul Jamil Abdul Rais
(1912–1994) 		1 September 1964 6 November 1967 3 years, 67 days
3. Tan Sri Dato' Seri
Tunku Mohamad Tunku Besar Burhanuddin
(1912–1994) 		7 November 1967 31 December 1969 2 years, 55 days
4. Tan Sri
Abdul Kadir Shamsuddin
(1920–1978) 		1 January 1970 30 September 1976 6 years, 274 days
5. Tun
Abdullah Mohd Salleh
(1926–2006) 		1 October 1976 31 December 1978 2 years, 92 days Hussein Onn
(1976–1981)
6. Tun
Abdullah Ayub
(1926–2018) 		1 January 1979 30 November 1982 3 years, 334 days Hussein Onn
(1976–1981)
Mahathir Mohamad
1st term
(1981–2003)
7. Tan Sri Dato'
Hashim Aman
(1929–2018) 		1 December 1982 14 June 1984 1 year, 197 days Mahathir Mohamad
1st term
(1981–2003)
8. Tan Sri Dato' Paduka
Sallehuddin Mohamed
(b.1932) 		15 June 1984 31 January 1990 5 years, 231 days
9. Tun
Ahmad Sarji Abdul Hamid
(1938–2021) 		1 February 1990 16 September 1996 6 years, 229 days
10. Tan Sri
Abdul Halim Ali
(b.1943) 		17 September 1996 31 January 2001 4 years, 137 days
11. Tan Sri
Samsudin Osman
(b.1946) 		1 February 2001 2 September 2006 5 years, 214 days Mahathir Mohamad
1st term
(1981–2003)
Abdullah Ahmad Badawi
(2003–2009)
12. Tan Sri
Mohd Sidek Hassan
(b.1952) 		3 September 2006 23 June 2012 5 years, 295 days Abdullah Ahmad Badawi
(2003–2009)
Mohd. Najib Abdul Razak
(2009–2018)
13. Tan Sri Dato' Sri Dr.
Ali Hamsa
(1955–2022) 		24 June 2012 28 August 2018 6 years, 66 days Mohd. Najib Abdul Razak
(2009–2018)
Mahathir Mohamad
2nd term
(2018–2020)
14. Tan Sri Datuk Seri Dr.
Ismail Bakar
(b.1960) 		29 August 2018 31 December 2019 1 year, 125 days Mahathir Mohamad
2nd term
(2018–2020)
15. Tan Sri Dato' Seri
Mohd Zuki Ali
(b.1962) 		1 January 2020 10 August 2024 4 years, 223 days Mahathir Mohamad
2nd term
(2018–2020)
Muhyiddin Yassin
(2020–2021)
Ismail Sabri Yaakob
(2021–2022)
Anwar Ibrahim
(since 2022)
16. Tan Sri Dato' Sri
Shamsul Azri Abu Bakar
(b.1969) 		12 August 2024 Incumbent 137 days Anwar Ibrahim
(since 2022)

Living former Chief Secretaries

Name Term of office Date of birth
Sallehuddin Mohamed 1984–1990 9 September 1932 (age 92)
Abdul Halim Ali 1996–2001 1 July 1943 (age 81)
Samsudin Osman 2001–2006 3 March 1946 (age 78)
Mohd Sidek Hassan 2006–2012 24 June 1952 (age 72)
Ismail Bakar 2018–2020 19 January 1960 (age 64)
Mohd Zuki Ali 2020–2024 11 August 1962 (age 62)

See also

References

  1. ^ "Cut costs in your dept, PM urged". Free Malaysia Today. Archived from the original on 8 February 2017. Retrieved 12 March 2014.
  2. ^ "Sejarah KSN". www.ksn.gov.my.
  3. ^ a b Fungsi JPM Archived 1 July 2010 at the Wayback Machine Jabatan Perdana Menteri. Accessed 17 June 2010
  4. ^ Role and Functions Chief Secretary to the Government. Accessed 17 June 2010
  5. ^ "Mantan Ketua Setiausaha Negara". www.ksn.gov.my.