Don't use social media to vent unhappiness with Government, civil servants told

MIRI: An increasing number of civil servants, especially teachers, are resorting to airing their grouses and criticisms against the Government using Facebook and Twitter.

On this, Bekenu assemblyman Rosey Yunus said it was futile and meaningless as the Government could not entertain the complaints.

Describing that way of venting one’s frustration as akin to “talking to a wall”, she said yesterday that as civil servants, they should not use the social media to try to vent their unhappiness with their employer, the Government.

Speaking at the closing of the Sarawak Bumiputra Teachers Union’s annual general meeting here, the Assistant Minister for Early Childhood Education and Family Development said the Government only dealt with complaints submitted through internal channels.

“There is no point for civil servants such as teachers to post their complaints about the Government on Facebook and Twitter.

“Yes, a lot of people read the complaints. You get a lot of publicity, but what’s the point? The Government will not entertain them. The ministries concerned or the authorities concerned will not take action to resolve the grouses after reading them on Facebook and Twitter.

“Civil servants who want to highlight their problems have to go through their unions. That is their internal channel to connect to the Government.

Rosey noted that there have been more complaints about pay issues, increasing work load and infrastructure and basic facilities for civil servants working in various parts of the state.

She said the Government had always been concerned for the welfare of civil servants.

“Of course the Government wants to solve as many problems as possible, but we need to be rational. The Government cannot solve all of them overnight,” she said.

Rosey said teachers must be patient or else they would tarnish the image of their profession.

She presented RM5,000 in minor rural project fund to the union for them to organise more activities.

Sarawak Bumiputra Teachers Union president Ahmad Mahli was also present at the function.

During the meeting, the union tabled various issues, among them asking for the Government to look into better pay structures for teachers in Sarawak.

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