Public Service Commission received 1.28 million applications in 2022, over 20,000 vacancies filled

The Public Service Commission (PSC) received 1.28 million applications for permanent appointments for positions in the managerial, professional and implementer levels through its online employment registration system (SPA9) last year, its chairman Zainal Rahim Seman said.

Of the total, 20,762 applicants had been appointed to fill the vacancies according to their qualifications, he said when met at a media programme yesterday.

"The application for positions in the public service has been fully digitalised since 2017. So, there's no such thing as 'using a cable' anymore,” he said.

On March 16, Zainal reportedly said the transition to a fully digital application system was the best and most transparent method to refute the allegation of certain parties that only those with a "cable" or "connection" can fill the posts in the public service.

Since 2017, the application for positions in the public service has been done through the public service employment registration form (SPA8i) before being replaced by SPA9 in September 2020.

On contract-based appointment, Zainal Rahim said 27,163 applicants have been appointed to various posts on a contract basis, including medical officer grade UD41, dental officer grade UG41 and pharmacy officer grade UF41.