EROPA Bulletin Volume 34 Nos. 3-4 | Page 11

Vol. 34 Nos. 3-4 (July-December 2013) Key officials discuss leadership... (From page 10) program aims to contribute to the Vision 2020 of the Government of Malaysia through the development of human capital essential for nation building. Dr. Hamid pointed out a number of issues and challenges in recruiting, retaining and developing young professionals in public service: 1) lack of collaboration with different ministries and agencies; 2) competition with the private sector; 3) different perspectives on acceleration (promotion vs. exposure and experiences; and 4) perceptions that young professionals are a potential “threat” to the status quo in the government. The TAPS Program aims to contribute to the Vision 2020 of the Government of Malaysia through the development of human capital essential for nation building. Nonetheless, Dr. Hamid sees TAPS as an avenue for future human resource development in Malaysian public service. He envisioned wider and more frequent stakeholder participation; balanced expectations between the program implementers and stakeholders; and program graduates who are well-focused and prepared to handle assigned roles and responsibilities in government service. In quoting Michael Jordan as saying, “Talent wins games; it is the teamwork and intelligence that wins championships”, Dr. Hamid implied that a more systematic and efficient human resource development system is needed to better prepare the youth for public service. Mr. Seong Tae Jeon, Director General of the Organizational Policy Bureau, Ministry of Security and Public Administration, Korea, related his discussion with Korea’s vision to transform its current government into a “Government 3.0”. His presentation hinged from what was discussed by Professor Pan Suk Kim in his reflection of the conference theme. EROPA Bulletin 11 Mr. Jeon first highlighted Korea’s transformation into a highly industrialized country with a democratic government. He then noted that while this transformation did a lot for the growth and development of the nation, it also led to more complex social and political problems. To address these issues, the Korean government sought to operate using the “Government 3.0” approach. This is characterized by the delivery of more custommade, individual-oriented public services, and the use of telecommunication technologies to make the government more accessible to people. According to Mr. Jeon, the “Government 3.0” system operates on the principles of transparent, serviceoriented and competent government, hinged upon openness, sharing, communication and collaboration. Former Japanese lawmaker Makoto Taki talked about best practices in administrative leadership in his home country: 1) numbering system for basic resident registration system; 2) unconventional, innovative ideas The “Government developed as a 3.0” is characterized form of emergency by the delivery of response; 3) political messages more custom-made, that were received individual-oriented well; and 4) public services, national policies and the use of promoted based on telecommunication proposals given by local governments. technologies to make the government more accesible to people. Mr. Taki related that his 1988 proposal for the basic resident registration system was met with a number of hurdles before it was enacted into a law in 1999. Resident registration numbers were then distributed in 2002, and by December of the same year, the legislature passed an Act on Certification Business of Local Government in Relation to Electronic Signatures. This prompted Mr. Taki to take the registration system online. In 2003, registration cards containing identification numbers for each resident were issued. Mr. Taki’s dream of an online identification system was finally realized, first in 2004,