The Director-General of Public Service (Malay: Ketua Pengarah Perkhidmatan Awam) is the head of the Public Service Department in Malaysia. Wan Ahmad Dahlan Abdul Aziz has been the 27th Director-General since 9 January 2024.[1]
| Post: | Director-General |
| Body: | Public Service |
| Native Name: | Ketua Pengarah Perkhidmatan Awam |
| Insignia: | Coat of arms of Malaysia.svg |
| Incumbent: | Wan Ahmad Dahlan Abdul Aziz |
| Department: | Public Service Department |
| Style: | Yang Berbahagia |
| Abbreviation: | KPPA |
| Reports To: | Prime Minister |
| Seat: | Putrajaya |
| Appointer: | Yang di-Pertuan Agong |
| Appointer Qualified: | on the advice of Prime Minister |
| First: | John Huggins |
The post "Director General Of Public Service" in Malaysia dates back to 1934, the title used by the Head of Administrative Service was Malayan Establishment Officer, the inaugural holder was Sir John Huggins. Subsequently, when A.J. Gracie held the position in 1954, the title was changed to Federation Establishment Officer. After H.G. Turner replaced Gracie in 1957 until Tan Sri Ahmad Husin assumed the position of Head of Public Sector Service in 1960, the title used was Principal Establishment Officer (P.E.O).
The title was changed to Ketua Pegawai Perjawatan in 1962 and remained in use until 1967, which was when Tunku Mohamed Tunku Besar Burhanuddin led the public service. In 1967, Pejabat Perjawatan Persekutuan was renamed as Establishment Office of Malaysia. When Tan Sri Abdul Kadir Shamsuddin helmed the leadership, the title was changed to Pengarah Perjawatan Malaysia in 1968 at the same year the name Jabatan Perkhidmatan Awam (JPA) was first used on 15 August 1968. Later, it was changed to the title of Ketua Pengarah Perkhidmatan Awam (KPPA) as used in Service Circular No. 2 Year 1968 dated 7 October 1968.[2]
Since 1934, PSD (and its original department) has been led by 27 Directors-General, as shown below:[3]
| No. | Portrait | Director-General of Public Service | Term of office | ||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Took office | Left office | Time in office | |||
| 1. | John Huggins | 22 August 1934 | 1943 | 9 years | |
| 2. | A.J. Gracie | 1 July 1954 | 7 September 1957 | ||
| 3. | H.G. Turner | 8 September 1957 | 1 July 1959 | ||
| 4. | Ahmad Husin | 5 October 1959 | 1 March 1963 | ||
| 5. | 2 March 1963 | 6 November 1967 | |||
| 6. | Abdul Kadir Shamsuddin | 7 November 1967 | 31 October 1969 | ||
| 7. | Syed Zahiruddin Syed Hassan | 1 November 1969 | 29 June 1972 | ||
| 8. | 1 July 1972 | 31 July 1974 | |||
| 9. | 1 August 1974 | 30 September 1976 | |||
| 10. | 1 October 1976 | 17 June 1978 | |||
| 11. | 18 June 1978 | 30 November 1980 | |||
| 12. | 1 December 1980 | 31 July 1985 | |||
| 13. | 1 August 1985 | 26 January 1987 | |||
| 14. | 26 January 1987 | 15 April 1990 | |||
| 15. | 16 April 1990 | December 1995 | 5 years | ||
| 16. | 14 December 1995 | 14 December 1998 | |||
| 17. | 15 December 1998 | 31 January 2001 | |||
| 18. | 2001 | 2005 | 4 years | ||
| 19. | 2005 | 30 June 2010 | 5 years | ||
| 20. | 1 July 2010 | 1 July 2012 | |||
| 21. | Mohamad Zabidi Zainal | 15 March 2013 | 31 December 2016 | ||
| 22. | Zainal Rahim Seman | 16 January 2017 | 31 May 2018 | ||
| 23. | Borhan Dolah | 13 July 2018 | 9 September 2019 | ||
| 24. | Mohd Khairul Adib Abd Rahman | 1 October 2019 | 16 January 2022 | ||
| 25. | 10 February 2022 | 12 December 2022 | |||
| 26. | Zulkapli Mohamed | 27 February 2023 | 8 January 2024 | ||
| 27. | Wan Ahmad Dahlan Abdul Aziz | 9 January 2024 | Incumbent | ||