Page 22 - Diplomatic Voice 2014 Vol 1

FORUM the pioneering countries to undertake work that each Head of Mission need After being Foreign Minister for near to such a project as a means to measure to carry at his or her post. As such, the five years, I have witnessed first-hand and monitor the performance of heads KPIs serve as a manual of activities for the dedication, the grit and the deter- of diplomatic missions. Indeed, there Heads of Mission to execute in order mination of our officers in executing are many intangible components of to meet the targets, which in actual their work. I fully appreciate the our work at the ministry that cannot be fact reflects the expectations of the challenges and difficulties that you go measured. However, we can measure ministry. Through the KPIs, the HQ through on the front line in flying specific activities that contribute would be able to gauge the level of Malaysia’s flag high in your respective towards achieving our objectives of work at the mission. However, the host countries or at the international protecting and projecting Malaysia’s KPIs at present primarily provide a organisations you are accredited to. many interests abroad. measure of the quantity of work and not the quality. Defending Malaysia’s interests, pro- Sceptics could be critical about the viding quality services to the public, effectiveness of the KPIs, particularly This is where the next challenge lies. A and projecting a positive image of in accurately measuring the perfor- measurement mechanism that could Malaysia are akin to the air that you mance of Heads of Mission. Let me provide an accurate measure on the breathe, as these are ingrained in you explain the rationale behind the KPIs. quality of performance of a mission be from the moment you became a diplo- Over the years Wisma Putra has it in terms of reports and the impact mat in your formative years at the grown in terms of its physical they have on shaping Malaysia’s ministry. I have been told that diplo- presence in Putrajaya as well as its position on an issue, for example, or mats are a special breed and I could vast network of now 107 diplomatic level of effectiveness of consular attest to that, I do see that in you. missions. In terms of scaIe, compare services provided by missions, should It is for this reason that Wisma Putra this to a country of the size of India that has about 160 diplomatic missions abroad. Indeed we must be proud that Malaysia, despite its relatively small size geographically and population-wise has such a wide network of diplomatic presence in all corners of the world. However, the physical growth and global reach of the ministry do pose certain challeng- es in terms of resources especially in terms of financial resources and human resource capacity. The KPIs therefore is a means to provide in very clear terms a set of guidelines that set out the expecta- tions of the ministry on the Heads of Mission in carrying out their role as the government’s chief representative abroad. Given the growth that Wisma Putra has experienced particularly in be the next step in improving the deli- must continue to develop its human the 1990’s when many diplomatic very system of the ministry. capacity to be able to meet the missions were established in the challenges of the future and continue countries of the South, the KPIs are The setting of standards based on to excel in what it was set up to do. useful tools for the ministry to set out specific measurement criteria are well Wisma Putra is involved in both high the objectives for each Head of worth studying and developing and politics and soft diplomacy and thus Mission to achieve. then implemented. This I believe will its officers must be well equipped to revolutionise and transform the minis- handle all aspects of diplomacy. In this day and age where time is a try by coding the high standards that precious commodity, the minister, the are universally expected of foreign In this day and age, modern diploma- ministry’s top management and even ministries and diplomats anywhere cy does not only require the mastery of the respective desks, do not have the into a performance management me- words but also the ability to be time to go into great detail into the chanism. forward-looking, innovative and take 22 bulletin@idfr.gov.my