ALOR SETAR: Close to 50 percent of Chinese applicants were recruited by Public Service Department (JPA) as of May this year.

Chan Ming Kai, political secretary to Prime Minister Datuk Seri Anwar Ibrahim, said 11,000 Chinese Malaysians applied to become civil servants, with 2,700 shortlisted for interviews.

Out of a total of 2,000 who turned up for interviews, 1,000 were recruited, he said.

As for the Malays, a total of 500,000 applied but only 32,000 were shortlisted for interviews. Of the 9,000 applicants who turned up for interviews, 3,455 or 38.4 percent were successful.

Speaking at the third session of “Police Story” public talk jointly organized by Chan’s office, Media Chinese International Limited and the Kedah Chinese Assembly Hall in Alor Setar on Wednesday, Chan said the statistics did not include those applying to join the police force or as teachers.

He encouraged the Chinese to join the force.

He said there are outstanding Chinese civil servants but their number is small.