Closing Ceremony of the Advanced Management Development Programme (AMDP), Workshop on Teaching and the Case Method and Workshop on Writing Cases

SPEECH BY YBHG TAN SRI MOHD SIDEK HASSAN
CHIEF SECRETARY TO THE GOVERNMENT OF MALAYSIA

AT THE CLOSING CEREMONY OF THE
ADVANCED MANAGEMENT DEVELOPMENT PROGRAMME (AMDP),
WORKSHOP ON TEACHING AND THE CASE METHOD AND
WORKSHOP ON WRITING CASES

13 NOVEMBER 2009 (FRIDAY), 8.00 P.M.
INTAN AUDITORIUM, BUKIT KIARA

Bismillahir rahmanir rahim

Assalamualaikum Warahmatullahi Wabarakatuh
Y.Bhg. Datuk Ab Khalil bin Ab Hamid
Deputy Director-General of Public Service Malaysia (Development)

Y.Bhg. Tan Sri Dr. Lin See Yan
President of Harvard Club Malaysia

Professor D. Quinn Mills
Harvard Business School

Ms. Carole Winkler, Consultant and
Former Harvard Business School case writer

Y.Bhg. Dato’ Dr. Muhamad Hamzah
Director of INTAN

Y.Bhg. Tan Sri, Dato’-Dato’,

Distinguished Guests, Ladies and Gentlemen,

Good evening and Salam 1 Malaysia. Thank you for the invitation to this certificate presentation ceremony of the three, I am told, very successful training programmes, and I believe, jointly organised by the National Institute of Public Administration, INTAN and the Harvard Club of Malaysia. I must record my appreciation to Tan Sri Lin See Yan, the Harvard Club of Malaysia and the staff of Charles River Centre for continuing to collaborate with INTAN in making possible these programmes. Such initiatives will go a long way in enhancing the capacity and quality of members of the Malaysian civil service.

Distinguished Guests, Ladies and Gentlemen,

2. Entering into strategic alliances with the Harvard Business School has undoubtedly created greater synergy which brings about new approaches, new technologies and new areas of specialisation in enhancing the quality of human capital to achieve superior performance in the Malaysian civil service. Over the past two years INTAN has brought the world’s best talents from Harvard Business School as well as Kennedy School to Bukit Kiara. This is another step towards INTAN’s vision of becoming a world class training institute. The global pre-eminence that INTAN aspires is nowhere more in evidence than here and now where cutting edge work is being produced that will benefit the public sector. The strategic alliances, at the same time, have raised the profile of INTAN’s colloquia and seminars by having world-renowned scholars and practitioners share their thoughts and ideas with our civil servants.

3. All these collaborative efforts reflect the aspirations of the Government to develop its human capital and to create a highly professional and responsive public sector. INTAN, as announced by the Honourable Prime Minister during the presentation of the Budget 2010, will be upgraded into a School of Government. It will be invested with the necessary authority and autonomy to attract the best and the brightest talents. This is particularly significant as the performance of the civil service itself will be reflected through the performance of its national training institute.

Distinguished Guests, Ladies and Gentlemen,

4. Human intellectual capital has become the defining factor in sustaining the nation’s performance and competitiveness. Indeed, the fast pace of innovation in the global arena demands new expertise and skills. In the current challenging environment, it is imperative that we continue to upgrade the technical and the soft skills of senior members of the public sector; and also work towards enhancing the ability to think analytically and conceptually; to instil a sense of urgency in discharging our duties and to ensure that all our efforts result in added-value to the tasks and responsibilities entrusted to us.

5. It is therefore appropriate that INTAN has selected to conduct the Advanced Management Development Programme, AMDP, the Teaching and the Case Method Workshop as well as the Case Writing Programme. The AMDP was attended by 86 senior public officials. I trust the programme has changed the way participants think in order to accelerate the management leadership process in managing and solving problems. I believe INTAN has made some improvements in the course by providing additional classes in subjects like introductory economics and finance. I am encouraged to know that the impact analysis on the AMDP participants illustrates a positive upgrade on the skills and the knowledge of the respondents.

6. With regards to the Teaching and the Case Method Workshop and the Writing Cases Programme, I hope these programmes become more relevant to your daily work. Writing case studies is both an art and a science. It is an increasingly important skill to acquire. Case studies are very practical and have proven to be effective and innovative tools for developing analytical, critical and conceptual thinking. The public service needs good local case studies. The closer the cases connect with our daily experiences the better, thus the relevance of cases that reflect the Malaysian experience.

7. It is in this context that I requested Tan Sri Ambrin Buang, the Auditor-General who is present here tonight to take a model for the JUSA group on the Port Klang Free Zone.

8. The case studies that are produced in this course will add to the pool of existing cases and will be put to best possible use. I would like to take this opportunity to record our highest appreciation and gratitude to Professor Quinn Mills and Ms. Carol Winkler for sharing the techniques on writing case studies and ways to use them as effective training tools.

Distinguished Guests, Ladies and Gentlemen,

9. It is also heartening to note that INTAN, in establishing a world class centre for training, has taken the effort to extend and share its trainings with our neighbours, namely Singapore and Brunei Darussalam. This year we see 2 participants from Singapore in the Writing Case programme. The number may be small, but an encouraging progress and a positive step towards establishing networking in the region and towards widening the perspective of public sector employees in the region.

10. I would like once again to thank INTAN, the Harvard Club of Malaysia and all contributors for facilitating this learning experience. To all participants, congratulations on your successful completion of the programme. It is now up to each and every one of you to determine the actual success of the programme as you step out of this auditorium and begin applying what you have learnt.

Thank you.
Wabillahittaufik walhidayah wassalamualaikum warahmatullahi wabarakatuh.