Anwar calls for civil servants' support

Anwar Ibrahim today called for support and cooperation from the civil servants, as he becomes the first prime minister in more than two decades to come to power in Putrajaya where the predominantly civil service electorate did not vote for the ruling party.

"Leaders come and go, but civil servants remain in upholding the system and rules of the country," he told the staff of the Prime Minister's Department today.

Recalling his last position in the government where he was the finance minister before his sacking in 1998, he said things depended much on the help of the civil service. 

Anwar also urged his future ministers to forge good working relations with civil servants. 

"Listen to their views... our intelligence, our tenacity, our interest will not be the same as their (civil servants) experience," he added.

The Putrajaya constituency where civil servants dominate the electorate was won by Perikatan Nasional, after more than two decades under Umno's Tengku Adnan Mansor who had held it since the seat was created.

Former education minister Radzi Jidin beat the Umno treasurer-general by 2,310 votes, winning a six-way fight with 43.67% of the ballots cast.  

Radzi won 16,002 votes while Tengku Adnan won 13,692.