GEORGE TOWN, August 1 2026– After dedicating more than 28 years to the public service, Penang state secretary Datuk Seri Zulkifli Long will conclude his tenure tomorrow, leaving behind a legacy of reforms and initiatives that have strengthened the state administration.
The reforms include efforts to expedite service delivery, streamline procedures and reduce bureaucracy in the state administration.
Zulkifli, 60, who hails from Tok Bedu, Tasek Gelugor in Seberang Perai Utara, said he had never envisioned a career in the public service.
He said becoming a State Secretary was never part of his ambition, as he had initially expected to spend his career at the Penang Islamic Religious Department, where he began his service after obtaining a Bachelor’s Degree in Economics from the International Islamic University Malaysia (IIUM).
“However, Allah had arranged a different path for me. With my parents’ prayers, I applied for the Administrative and Diplomatic Service (PTD) and was accepted. I then started my career in Seberang Perai Utara, my hometown,” he said in an exclusive interview with Bernama at his office.
Zulkifli said he left his hometown to further his education in Kuala Lumpur, where he studied at Sekolah Menengah Agama Wilayah Persekutuan before pursuing his studies at IIUM.
Throughout his career, Zulkifli served in various departments, including the district office, the Penang Islamic Religious Department, the Implementation Coordination Unit (ICU), the State Economic Planning Unit and the Land and Mines Director’s Department, before being appointed to lead the state administration.
He said each posting provided him with different experiences that shaped his understanding of the true function of public service, which was not only about following procedures, but also about finding ways to ease matters while ensuring compliance with the law.
“I have personally experienced what it feels like to be an ‘ordinary person’ dealing with a district office to settle matters involving my late mother-in-law’s land.
“Despite understanding the ins and outs of land administration, I was disappointed with the treatment I received at the time. It was only after the officer on duty found out who I was that the process became easier, and the experience left a deep impression on me,” he said.
Zulkifli, who was sworn in as Penang State Secretary on Sept 11, 2024, said the experience became one of the catalysts for the implementation of the Bureaucratic Red-Tape Reform (RKB) in Penang, which seeks to enhance service delivery without compromising integrity or adherence to the law.
He introduced a work approach centred on “volume, security and speed” to increase productivity, uphold integrity and expedite service delivery.
Zulkifli said the approach had successfully shortened the approval period for several development processes from 108 days to around 36 to 38 days, while the RKB initiative implemented by the state government had resulted in compliance cost savings exceeding RM2.4 billion for completed projects to date.
He said the transformation efforts also involved the land administration system, with various processes such as applications, payments and document submissions being digitised through the e-Tanah system before Penang took part in the development of e-Tanah 2.0, which is expected to be operational in 2028.
During his tenure at the helm of the state administration, Penang achieved a historic milestone when state government revenue surpassed RM1 billion for the first time in 2025, with the state recording a surplus of almost RM200 million despite the budget being tabled with an expected deficit, following higher revenue collection and more disciplined expenditure control.
Zulkifli said revising the land tax rate, which had not been reviewed since 1994, was among the tough decisions he had to make, but it was necessary to ensure a fairer taxation system that reflected current values.
Commenting on the challenges of leading the state administration, he said the biggest challenge was not introducing a new system, but changing the work culture among nearly 8,000 state civil servants, which required time and patience as it involved transforming mindsets and attitudes towards service delivery.
“Even if it is not easy, we should always try to make things easier for people. Even if we encounter difficulties ourselves, do not make things difficult for others,” he said, sharing the principle that guided him throughout his public service career.
Throughout his career, Zulkifli was also involved in managing various disaster situations, including post-tsunami operations in 2004 during his service in Seberang Perai Utara, the Penang floods in 2017, as well as several landslides and other emergencies.
Zulkifli, who will go on mandatory retirement tomorrow, said he looks forward to spending more time with his wife, two children and a grandchild, while considering writing a book to document his journey and experiences throughout his career.
Asked if he had plans to join politics, Zulkifli said he was more comfortable working within the framework of procedures and the law.
Meanwhile, Chief Minister Chow Kon Yeow said various high-impact projects were successfully planned and realised under Zulkifli’s efficient leadership, which demonstrated integrity, discipline and a strong focus on accuracy and effectiveness in implementation.
“On behalf of the state government and the people of Penang, I would like to express my deepest appreciation and gratitude to Zulkifli for his years of service, sacrifices and dedication towards the progress and well-being of the state,” he said.
— BERNAMA
