CAPAM Biennial Conference 2014 To Commence On Sunday

By Farhana Poniman KUALA LUMPUR, Oct 18 (Bernama) -- The three-day Commonwealth Association for Public Administration and Management (CAPAM) Biennial Conference 2014, gets underway on Sunday in Putrajaya aimed at enhancing networking among members in efforts to take the civil service to a higher platform. The crucial gathering of ministers, academics and public service practitioners at the sprawling Putrajaya International Convention Centre (PICC) will also enable Malaysia to share experiences in public service delivery. CAPAM, in collaboration with the Malaysian Administrative Modernisation and Management Planning Unit (MAMPU) is organising a fascinating programme of learning journeys for delegates during CAPAM 2014. Aptly themed, "Public Service Transformation: A New Conversation," there is much that others can draw upon on Malaysia's accomplishments in improving the quality of the civil service through the Government Transformation Programme (GTP) and the Economic Transformation Programme (ETP). The result is that the Malaysian civil service is now more dynamic and innovative as it has devised a vastly improved delivery system with greater emphasis on benefiting or helping the general public. More importantly, the CAPAM conference this time is also significant in that Malaysia is vying for the presidency of the association. The election will be held during the CAPAM's board of directors' meeting and the annual general meeting on Oct 18. The last time the country held the presidency was for the 1996-1998 term when the then Chief Secretary to the Government, Ahmad Sarji Abdul Hamid, was president. The current president is Paul Zahra, the Permanent Secretary, European Affairs, Government of Malta while Chief Secretary to the Government,Dr Ali Hamsa holds the Vice-President post. Various programmes have been lined up for the conference, with the entire event culminating in CAPAM's 20th anniversary celebration, including the Commonwealth Ministerial Forum, International Innovations Awards, as well as, the inaugural CAPAM Media Forum and CAPAM International Run. The biennial conference is designed to offer insightful dialogue, theoretical and practical knowledge exchange and networking to an international audience that is building the public service for the future across the Commonwealth. CAPAM is a non-profit association with an international network of 1,100 senior public service employees, heads of governments, leading academicians and researchers from 53 nations across the Commonwealth. -- BERNAMA