Table of Contents

Table of Contents 1
Chapter 5 Correspondence and Official Routine 2
Part 1 Channels of Communication 2
Part 2 Form of Correspondence 3
Part 3 Office Routine and Procedure 7

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 Chapter 5

Correspondence and Official Routine

Part 1

Channels of Communication

Communication for the Chief 181.

Justice, President, Chief
Judges or Judges (1) Subject to any instructions regarding the transmission of classified correspondence which may have been issued
from time to time, communications intended for the Chief Justice of the Federal Court shall be addressed only to the
Chief Registrar of such Court, and for the President of the Court of Appeal or the Chief Judge of the High Court or
the Judges thereof to the Registrar of the Court of Appeal or the High Court, as the case may be; alternatively, such
communications may be addressed to the State Secretary with a request that the subject matter raised therein be
referred to the Chief Justice, President, Chief Judge or Judge, as appropriate.

(2) In cases of communication with a Judge of the Syariah Court, such communication shall be addressed to the
Registrar of such Court.
Communications with 182.
Ministries
(1) All official communications from the office of the Chief Minister or a Ministry or the office of the State Financial
Secretary are considered to emanate either from the Minister or from the Permanent Secretary to the Ministry or
from the State Secretary or the State Financial Secretary by direction of the appropriate Minister.

(2) All correspondence with the Chief Minister's Office shall normally be addressed to the State Secretary.

(3) All correspondence with a Ministry whether by letter, memorandum or minute, shall normally be addressed to
the Permanent Secretary to the Ministry.

(4) All correspondence with the State Financial Secretary's office shall normally be addressed to the State Financial
Secretary.

(5) Communications may be marked for the attention of the officer who is known to be dealing with the subject or
for the attention of the particular branch which it is intended should handle the correspondence in the first instance.

(6) Any official communication with the Commission shall be addressed to the Secretary of the Commission and
sent through the State Secretary or the Permanent Secretary to the Ministry. Where communication is made by a
Permanent Secretary or Resident, copy of such correspondence shall be extended to the State Secretary.

(7) The provisions of this General Order do not preclude semi-official correspondence with the Commission or an
individual officer subject to the conditions relating to semi-official correspondence provided for in General Order
191(4).
Communications from or to 183.
subordinate officers
(1) Communications intended for the Government from subordinate officers shall normally be addressed to the
Resident or Head of Department and such correspondence shall be channelled through such District Officer, in the
case of administrative officers, and such Divisional Officer, in the case of departmental officers, as the Resident or
Head of Department respectively may from time to time require.

(2) A subordinate officer may address the State Secretary on matters of a personal nature:

Provided that such communications are forwarded to the appropriate Resident or Head of Department, who shall
transmit them with all reasonable despatch to the State Secretary with such comments as he may consider
necessary.

(3) A subordinate officer may not address directly a Head of Department other than his own or a Resident other
than the Resident of the Division in which he is stationed unless he has been specifically authorised to do so.

(4) Except in the case of accounting queries raised by the State Accountant-General or Director of Audit, a Head of
Department shall not normally address a subordinate administrative officer or a subordinate officer of another
department:

Provided that he may address such officer and forward a copy of his communication to the appropriate Resident or
Head of Department
Communications between 184.
District Officers
Except in matters of urgency or such matters of ordinary routine as the Resident of any Division may from time to
time lay down, communication between District Officers in one Division and those of another Division shall be made
through their respective Residents

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Correspondence with other 185.
Governments
(1) A Head of Department who wishes a communication to be sent to the Government of another country shall
address the State Secretary in a memorandum embodying the information which the Head of Department requires to
communicate and in a form suitable for transmission to the Government concerned, together with any enclosure
intended to accompany such communications in quadruplicate.

(2) A Head of Department may communicate directly on matters of purely departmental concern with an official of
the same status as himself in another country:

Provided that copies of such correspondence shall be forwarded to the State Secretary.

(3) When a Head of Department communicates with another department in the Federal Government or of another
State, a copy of such communication shall be extended to the Permanent Secretary in charge of his Ministry and to
the State Secretary.
Consultation between State 186.
Secretary and Residents and
Heads of Departments (1) Each Resident is responsible for the administration of his Division, but shall refer to the appropriate Head of
Department any matter which concerns that department.

(2) A Head of Department shall consult the appropriate Resident on all departmental matters specially affecting his
Division and keep Resident informed of departmental matters, other than matters of a routine nature, affecting his
Division by forwarding to him copies of all relevant correspondence.

(3) The State Secretary may, from time to time, call a meeting of Residents to discuss matters concerning their
functions and activities in their respective Divisions and to monitor the implementation of projects in the Divisions
Departmental circulars 187.

(1) A Head of Department, other than the State Accountant-General, is not authorised, except in specific
circumstances approved by the State Secretary, to issue departmental circulars to any but officers of his own
Department, including officers attached to his department or officers acting as his representatives. Any requests or
instructions which Head of Department may wish to convey to administrative officers or officers of other
departments shall be addressed, in the first instance, to the State Secretary who will, if necessary, arrange for the
issue of an appropriate circular.

(2) Copies of departmental circulars shall be sent by a Head of Department to the appropriate Resident for his
information
Publication in the press, etc 188.

Except for material for the Sarawak Government Gazette or for any approved Government publication in the public
service, any statement or press release pertaining to the functions or activities of the public service shall be approved
by the State Secretary before such statement or press release is issued, broadcast or telecast
Petitions and 189.
communications from the
public (1) Every officer who receives a petition or communication for transmission to a higher authority shall forward it
within seven days of receipt together with his comments, if any, and recommendations:

Provided that if the nature of the petition or communication requires further enquiry or investigation to be made and,
for this or other adequate reasons, the officer receiving the petition or communication is unable within seven days to
submit his comments or recommendations, he shall state in a covering memorandum that these will follow and the
reasons for the delay.

(2) The officer receiving a petition or communication for onward transmission shall, on receipt, cause an
acknowledgement to be sent without delay direct to the petitioner or writer stating that it has been received and is
under consideration.

(3) All official correspondence between Government offices and other communications addressed to an officer by a
member of the public shall be acknowledged on receipt, unless it is clear that the communication will form the
subject of a final or interim reply at once. When it is apparent that a final reply is likely to take undue time, an interim
reply shall be sent instead of or in addition to an acknowledgement receipt.
Verbal instructions 190.

Except in cases where the insignificant or routine nature of the subject matter would not warrant a written
confirmation, subordinate officers shall normally secure written confirmation of any verbal instruction issued to them
by a superior officer as soon as possible after the issue of such instruction.
Part 2

Form of Correspondence

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Form of correspondence 191.
between Government offices
(1) Official correspondence between Government offices within Sarawak shall be by official memorandum only:

Provided that all official correspondence addressed to Government officers in the Federal Government or the
Government of the other States in the Federation may be by letters and a Head of Department may communicate
directly on matters of purely departmental concern with an official of the same status as himself in the Federal
Government or the Government of the other States in the Federation, but a copy of such correspondence shall be
forwarded to the State Secretary for his information.

(2) Communications from officers to the Government on personal matters shall be by letter.

(3) In the case of papers being forwarded, a covering communication of a purely formal character may be dispensed
with and all periodical returns and reports may be transmitted without any accompanying memorandum, unless it is
necessary to submit comments thereon which cannot be conveniently endorsed on the papers, returns or reports
themselves.

(4) Except as is otherwise provided for in this Chapter, the provisions of this General Order shall not preclude semi-
official correspondence between individual officers:

Provided that such semi-official correspondence shall be regarded as official documents for the purpose of filing,
reference, etc.

Form of correspondence; 192.

other official
communications All official correspondence, other than that provided for in General Order 191, whether addressed to other
governments or to non-governmental persons or bodies, shall be in the form of a letter..
General provisions regarding 193.
official correspondence
between Government offices (1) Every official communication between Government offices shall normally be confined to a single subject, which
shall be concisely stated in the heading, and all cases where there has been previous correspondence on the same
subject, reference to such correspondence shall be given. Where it proves necessary to make reference to more
than one subject in the same communication, an equivalent number of extra copies shall be enclosed.

(2) All official correspondence shall be couched in succinct and courteous terms and, except in exceptional
circumstances, be type-written. The paragraphs of all such communications, including annual and other reports, shall
be numbered consecutively and, if the communication extends to two or more pages, each page shall be numbered
accordingly.

(3) All enclosures, whether in the original or as copies which it may be necessary to forward with such
communications, shall be noted in the margin thereof; enclosures shall be recorded on separate pages, paragraphs
and pages being numbered as provided for in paragraph (2).

(4) Where it is necessary to forward the original paper, copies of such papers shall be retained in the office from
which the communication is sent. In no circumstances shall the original certificates or testimonials be forwarded
unless these are specifically called for, and if called for, they shall be submitted under registered cover..
Correspondence to obtain 194.
instructions or advice
(1) A Head of Department who originates correspondence for the purpose of obtaining instructions or advice on
any subject or securing approval of any proposal shall, as far as possible, present the subject matter thereof in such
a form as to enable a decision to be reached on the facts presented without additional information having to be
secured from other sources.

(2) Prior reference to any other appropriate Head of Department shall be made when necessary and his views
incorporated in any such submission. With the exception of communications of a personal nature addressed to the
State Secretary by subordinate officers in accordance with General Order 183(2), communications from
subordinate officers or departmental correspondence, whether in the original or as a copy, shall not be forwarded in
support of such submission unless special circumstances make it necessary to do so.

(3) Any authority of law, regulations, standing decision or precedent connected with the subject under
correspondence shall be quoted and, where reference is made to any rules, regulations or notification which has
been published in the Government Gazette the number and date of the Gazette Notification shall also be quoted.

(4) A Head of Department shall set forth clearly his own views and recommendations and, at the same time, draw
attention to the implications or consequences of any action which he proposes, with particular reference to the
financial aspects thereof and the estimated effect on revenue or annually recurrent expenditure.

(5) When it is obvious that copies of correspondence are required, sufficient copies shall be forwarded accordingly.

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Reference to the State 195.
Attorney-General
(1) A Head of Department is responsible for ensuring that, in respect of any matter submitted to the State Attorney-
General, the following points are observed-

(a) the question, or questions, on which a legal opinion is required shall be clearly formulated;

(b) relevant facts shall be recorded in the form of a precis, with necessary cross-references to the documents
from which they are drawn;

(c) where an announcement has to be made in the Government Gazette, a draft notification based on
precedent shall be submitted;

(d) where new legislation or subsidiary legislation or amendment to existing legislation or subsidiary legislation
is required and a policy decision has been made by the Government relating thereto, a request for the drafting
of the new legisation or subsidiary legislation shall be made by official memorandum setting out the objects of
and the reasons for the legislation or subsidiary legislation and, in the case of amending legislation, the
respects in which the existing legislation or subsidiary legislation is considered defective and the object to be
attained by the amendment;

(e) the provisions of subparagraph (d) shall, so far as is practicable, apply also to requests for the preparation
of agreements and other similar instruments; and

(f) all requests for legal advice other than from the State Secretary or State Financial Secretary shall be
signed by the Permanent Secretary or Head of Department, or where advice is sought by the Commission,
such request may be signed by the Chairman, Deputy Chairman or Secretary of the Commission.

(2) Reference shall be made to the State Attorney-General before a reply is sent to an advocate’s letter, except
when the subject of such a letter is a straightforward request for information of which the Government has no
objection to providing.

(3) Under no circumstances shall the advice of the State Attorney-General be quoted verbatim to any person
outside the department to which it is addressed.

(4) Where it is necessary for Heads of Departments or other public officers to be given the benefit of the advice of
the State Attorney-General thereon, except with the express authority of the State Attorney-General, the gist of so
much only of the advice as is necessary shall be given.

Sarawak Government 196.

Gazette; responsibility of
officers (1) Publication in the Sarawak Government Gazette shall be sufficient notice to every officer of the subject matter
published. Officers shall be held responsible for ensuring that all changes and instructions contained in the Sarawak
Government Gazette are duly noted. Heads of Departments shall draw the attention of their subordinate officers to
any notification that affect them.

(2) The following shall be gazetted:

(a) all statutory appointments, or other matters, which are required by law to be published in Parts I to IV of
the Sarawak Government Gazette or by the provisions of these General Orders to be notified in the Sarawak
Government Gazette;

(b) the examination results as provided for in General Order 323;

(c) any other matters which the State Secretary may from time to time direct to be published in accordance
with General Order 188.

(3) All such Gazette Notifications referred to in paragraph (2) shall be prepared by the Head of Department and
submitted to the State Attorney-General.

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Sarawak Government 197.
Gazette notifications and
other matters for publication (1) The Sarawak Government Gazette shall be published in accordance with the provisions of the Written Law
(Simplified Publication) Ordinance.

Cap. 3. (1958 Ed.)

(2) The separate Parts of the Gazette referred to hereunder shall-

(a) in the case of Part I, which contains the Ordinances, be published as and when necessary in two series
containing the following categories of Ordinances:

(i) the Main Series shall contain all the Ordinances enacted by the Dewan Undangan Negeri that are
considered to be laws of a primary and permanent nature and all the pre-1993 Ordinances revised
under the authority of the Revision of Laws Ordinance, 1992; and

Cap. 1.

(ii) the "A" Series shall contain all the amending Ordinances, repealing Ordinances, Supply Ordinances
and any other Ordinances which are intended to have effect for a short duration only;

(b) in the case of Part II, which contains all Treaties, Conventions, Proclamations and all subsidiary legislation
other than those required to be published in Part IV, be published as and when necessary;

(c) in the case of Part III, which contains the Bills to be introduced in the Dewan Undangan Negeri, be
published as and when necessary;

(d) in the case of Part IV, which contains all subsidiary legislation made under any written law by the
Commissioner of the City of Kuching North, the Council of the City of Kuching South, the local authorities
constituted under the Local Authority Ordinance and the Bintulu Development Authority in the exercise of the
powers conferred on it as a local authority under sections 4 and 5 of the Lembaga Kemajuan Bintulu (Bintulu
Development Authority) Ordinance, 1978, be published as and when necessary;

Cap. 117. (1958 Ed.)

Ord. No. 1/78.

(e) in the case of Part V, which contains all matters required to be published in the Gazette or which the
Government deems it necessary to publish for public information, be published every Thursday of each week:

Provided that-

(i) when that day is a public holiday, publication may take place on the preceding Wednesday or
Friday following as may be appropriate;

(ii) in the event of that Wednesday or Friday also being a public holiday, then publication may take
place on such day as may be appointed by the State Attorney- General; or

(iii) the State Attorney-General may in exceptional circumstances authorize the publication of a special
issue to be known as the Gazette Extraordinary on any day other than a Thursday.

(3) In cases where a notification requires the approval of the Yang di-Pertua Negeri, Majlis Mesyuarat Kerajaan
Negeri or some other person or authority, or where it is likely to prove controversial, it shall be submitted in
sufficient time to permit circulation to members of the Majlis Mesyuarat Kerajaan Negeri or such other person or
authority or other consideration by the Government prior to publication.

(4) Every notification submitted shall be typewritten and the name of the officer and his designation, if this is to be
included in the notification, shall either be typewritten or printed. Except where a notification follows a well-
established precedent and there is no doubt regarding the format and composition, notifications shall be submitted in
draft to the State Attorney-General for vetting before they are published.

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Annual reports 198.

(1) Residents and Heads of Departments shall submit to the appropriate authority, as soon as possible after the
close of the year to which they relate and in any event not later than 31st May of the subsequent year, a report in
respect of the Division or department for which they are responsible.

(2) Such reports shall constitute a general statement, in summary form, of the policy to which the respective
Divisions and departments are addressing their activities and the resulting progress. They shall be concise, factual
and interesting and exclude theory, criticism or recommendation. Statistical material shall be confined to
Appendices.

(3) Where the preparation of statistical material will delay the submission of a report beyond the prescribed time, the
report itself shall be forwarded as provided for in paragraph (1), together with an indication of when any
Appendices are likely to follow.

(4) All District Officers shall submit their annual reports in respect of their districts to the appropriate Residents
concerned as soon as possible after the close of the year to which they relate and in any event not later than 31st
March of the subsequent year.
Annual returns relating to 199.
service ( retirement, etc.)
(1) Heads of Departments shall furnish annually to the State Secretary not later than 31st January a return, in
duplicate, giving the name, the date of birth and of appointment of all officers on the establishment in their respective
departments who will attain the age of fifty-four years during the course of the year in respect of which the return is
submitted and to complete the pension papers for submission to the Pensions Branch as set out in the Fifteenth
Schedule
(2) The Heads of Departments shall cause to be prepared annually for official use a Staff List (including temporary
and contract officers) in their respective departments embodying such items of information as the State Secretary
may deem fit to include.
Annual returns (Long 200.
Service Medal)
Heads of Departments shall submit annually to the State Secretary, not later than 31st March, a return of all
candidates recommended for award of a Long Service Medal. Such return shall state-

(a) officer's name;

(b) date of joining the service;

(c) present appointment;

(d) particulars and dates of service in other Divisions or departments;

(e) that the Head of Department under whom the officer is employed is satisfied that his conduct and work
under him has been uniformly good, that his service, as far as he is aware, has been unbroken or totals the
aggregate required under General Order 60(1) and that he is in every way worthy to receive a medal; and

(f) whether or not the officer is holding a post on the permanent establishment.
Other reports and returns 201.

Heads of Departments are required to arrange for the submission of such other reports and returns as may be
required from time to time by the State Secretary.
Extracts from periodical or 202.
other reports
Heads of Departments who prepare periodical or other reports may furnish other Heads of Departments, as
appropriate, with relevant extracts from such reports relating particularly to their respective departments or which
are likely to prove of particular interest to them.
Part 3

Office Routine and Procedure

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Classified correspondence 203.

(1) Classified correspondence, except when actually under action, shall be kept under lock and key and shall be
accessible only to the Head of Department and persons specifically authorised by him. Documents marked "Secret"
or "Rahsia" or those of a higher classification shall, when not in action, be retained in a safe.

(2) Classified correspondence shall be despatched only in double enclosures. Such correspondence shall be
enclosed in a sealed cover, endorsed with the appropriate classification and addressed personally to the officer to
whom it is directed, and shall then be enclosed in an unmarked outer cover addressed to the officer by appointment.

(3) In no circumstances shall official secret documents or that of a higher classification be despatched through the
post or by facsimile transmission. Correspondence of a lower classification may, if necessary, be despatched
through the postal or courier service under registered cover.

(4) Classified correspondence shall be opened only by the officer to whom they are addressed or by an officer
specially authorised to deal with such correspondence in any particular case.

(5) No reference to classified correspondence such as would indicate its subject matter or nature shall be made in
any open correspondence.

(6) Heads of Departments shall exercise their discretion in treating as classified any correspondence not so marked.
Records 204.

Papers filed in Ministries or in the offices of the State Secretary, the State Attorney-General, the State Financial
Secretary or the Clerk to Majlis Mesyuarat Kerajaan Negeri are not available for reference by officers not posted
to these offices except with the prior permission of the Permanent Secretary to the appropriate Ministry, the State
Secretary, the State Attorney-General, the State Financial Secretary or the Clerk to Majlis Mesyuarat Kerajaan
Negeri, and such files shall not normally be sent out of those offices.
Ministry files 205.

(1) Where it is expedient for a Ministry file to be minuted to a Head of Department, such file shall not be referred by
him to any department other than that to which the minute is directed unless specific reference to this effect is
contained in the minute, nor shall such files be minuted by him to subordinate officers or branches of that
department.

(2) Replies to minutes from Ministers shall be confined to the particular points referred; no comments shall be made
on minutes to which attention is not specially drawn and to which replies are not manifestly required.
Other Ministry papers 206.

(1) Communications from Ministers, other than memoranda addressed in the normal way, referred to a Head of
Department for action and return shall take precedence over all other correspondence, except where the latter is
exceptionally urgent. All such papers shall be returned to the Ministry within ten days from the date on which they
are received, together with the information, explanation or advice required.

(2) If it proves not possible to complete the action required on such papers within the stipulated period, they shall
normally be returned with a minute to the effect that the required information, explanation or advice will be
forwarded later by memorandum:

Provided that, if it is desired to retain the papers longer than ten days, application shall be made to retain them for
such further period as is necessary.

(3) In the event of such papers being called for by the appropriate Ministry, they shall be returned to that Ministry
immediately. In the event of action required in respect of such papers not having been completed, they shall be
accompanied by a written explanation of the delay, indicating when it is expected that action will have been
completed.

Transmission by post 207.

(1) Official correspondence sent by post shall be properly recorded by the department and sent in envelopes
marked with the words "Urusan Kerajaan" or the like.

(2) The registration fee shall be paid in respect of registered articles, postage, airmail fee and, if insured, insurance
fee shall be noted in the record of the department.

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Transmission by facsimile, 208.
etc
(1) Transmission of documents or correspondence by facsimile or electronic mail for official government business
may be made, without prepayment, to places within or outside the State. Facsimile or electronic mail transmission
using Government facsimile machine or equipment made by an officer on personal basis shall be for that officer’s
personal account and he shall be billed with the cost of such transmission accordingly.

(2) It is the duty of a Head of Department to record or cause to be recorded details of all private transmission by
facsimile or electronic mail.

(3) All facsimile or electronic mail transmission sent on Government account shall be subject to normal audit,
scrutiny and query.
Use of official telephones or 209.
handphones
(1) Official telephones, whether installed in an office or an officer's residence, or handphones are intended primarily
to facilitate Government business. They shall be used for both local and trunk calls only to the extent that such use
will materially assist in the despatch of official business and where a letter, telegram, facsimile or electronic mail
transmission will not suffice for the purpose.

(2) It is the duty of a Head of Department to record or cause to be recorded all telephones or handphones installed
in offices under his control including details of all private trunk calls made, the name of theofficer making the call, its
date and time, the called subscriber’s exchange and number and the duration of the call.

(3) All private trunk calls made by an officer from an official telephone or an handphone shall be for that officer’s
personal account and he shall be billed with the cost of such calls accordingly.

(4) All trunk calls made from an official telephone at an officer's residence or by handphone provided by the
Government shall, in the first instance, be for that officer’s personal account and he shall be billed with the cost of
such calls accordingly:

Provided that such officer may make application for reimbursement of the cost of any such trunk call necessarily
made in connection with official business.
Requisitions for stationery 210.

All requisitions for stationery and printing shall be obtained from a Government authorised dealer or through the
Government Printer's Office. Indents shall be forwarded through and approved by the appropriate Head of
Department, or his divisional or departmental representative
Use of stationery 211.

(1) Heads of Departments are required to ensure that the strictest economy is exercised in the use of stationery and
it is the duty of a Head of Department to check or cause to be checked stationery consumption and stocks
periodically to ensure that proper economy is being observed.

(2) All stationery items shall be placed in the charge of one clerk in each department who shall retain them under
lock and key and shall be personally responsible for making issues and recording receipts. He shall also be
responsible for drawing his superior officer’s attention to any requests which seem unreasonable or too frequent.

(3) It is not necessary for issues or receipts of stationery items of small value (e.g. pens, pencils, envelopes, paper,
forms) to be recorded, except where these are delivered in bulk to or from a main store. Issues of items of a
valuable nature (e.g. mechanical pencil sharpeners) shall, however, be recorded in a book together with receipts.
Designing of forms or books 212.

(1) If it is required to introduce a new form or book, or to alter an existing form or book in any way, application
shall be made to the Head of MAMPU, enclosing a specimen and clearly stating-

(a) the circumstances which made the alteration or new form or book necessary;

(b) whether it will replace or render unnecessary any other forms or books;

(c) the approximate number likely to be used annually;

(d) whether it is suitable for use in more than one department; and

(e) what use will be made of the information recorded in the form or book.

(2) The State Secretary may exempt a department from compliance with this General Order in respect of any
particular set or type of form or book.

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Control of office machines 213.
and equipments
Unless otherwise approved by the State Secretary, the Head of MAMPU is responsible for the purchase and
control of all office machines and equipments approved for the department by the State Secretary, in consultation
with Heads of Departments, including the following-

Accounting machines

Adding machines

Addressing equipment

Calculating machines

Card-index equipment

Computers and Printers

Copying machines

Duplicators

Telefax (Fax) machines

Photographic equipment

Special filing equipment

Typewriters.
Supply of office machines 214.
and equipments
(1) Heads of Departments requiring office machines and equipments, whether additional to or as replacement for
existing machines or equipments, shall notify the Head of MAMPU of their needs, stating-

(a) if for replacement of an existing machine or equipment, the condition and serial number of the machine or
equipment to be replaced;

(b) if the machine or equipment is additional, why existing machines or equipments are inadequate;

(c) the approximate expected period of use each day of the proposed machine or equipment; and

(d) the exact functions it is proposed the machine or equipment would perform.

(2) The Head of MAMPU may, subject to the approval of the State Financial Secretary, supply such machines or
equipments to the extent he considers necessary from stocks held by him:

Provided that, if no stock of the machine or equipment required is available, it shall be supplied as soon as the
necessary provision has been made in the approved Estimates.

(3) On purchase, each office machine or equipment shall be allocated by the Head of MAMPU, a number which
shall be painted on the machine or equipment before issue, and he shall maintain a register of all machines or
equipments in which shall be entered particulars of registered number, make, size, maker’s number, date of
purchase and the department or office to which it is issued. Specimens of type shall be recorded in respect of all
machines or equipments
Replacement and transfer of 215.
machines or equipments
(1) In the case of a machine or equipment being supplied to replace an existing machine or equipment, the latter shall
be returned to MAMPU on receipt of the replacement under cover of a memorandum, copied to the State Financial
Secretary.

(2) No machine or equipment shall be transferred from one office to another, whether or not in the same department
or station, without the prior approval of the State Financial Secretary.
Maintenance of machines or 216.
equipments
A Head of Department is responsible for the care and safe keeping of machines and equipments supplied to officers
under his control and for ensuring that such machines and equipments are cleaned by clerks or typists, as
appropriate, at least once every week. Machines and equipments requiring repair and periodical maintenance shall
be sent to the appropriate mechanic authorised by the Government.

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Official libraries 217.

(1) A Head of Department shall ensure that a catalogue is maintained in each office in respect of all books, reference
works and other publications issued to offices under his control as part of an official library.

(2) For the purpose of cataloguing, each book, reference work and publication shall be numbered and the
appropriate head of office shall be responsible for their safe keeping and for reporting any loss or damage as soon
as it occurs. On handing over charge of his office, the officer shall obtain from his successor a receipt, endorsed in
the catalogue, for all works in the library indicating any that may be found to be damaged or missing. An officer may
be held responsible for replacement of any book lost during the period for which he was responsible for its custody.

(3) Any officer who, on assuming charge of an office, fails to report to the Head of Department or, if he is himself
the Head of Department, to the State Secretary, any discrepancy between the library works in such office and those
listed in the catalogue, may himself be held responsible for the cost of replacement of any work subsequently found
to be damaged or missing.
Laws of Sarawak; noter-up 218.
service
(1) All Ordinances enacted by the Dewan Undangan Negeri and all revised laws prescribed under the authority of
the Revision of Laws Ordinance, 1992, Annual Volumes and Sarawak Government Gazettes, which are issued to
any officer shall form part of the equipment of his office. It is the duty of all officers to ensure that their copies are
amended and kept fully up-to-date.

Cap.1.

(2) Amendments to the Laws of Sarawak in the form of Noters-up, together with instructions for their use, shall be
issued from time to time by the State Attorney-General. All amendments to the Laws of Sarawak shall be made
immediately on receipt thereof and Heads of Departments are responsible for ensuring that the provisions of this
General Order are observed.

(3) Officers shall file copies of Sarawak Government Gazettes, as they are received, in temporary binders. After the
complete issue for the year has been received, officers shall transfer the Sarawak Government Gazettes to
permanent binders which are obtainable together with an index from the Government Printer. These shall constitute
the Annual Volumes of the Laws of Sarawak.
Destruction, disposal and 219.
maintenance of files and
records (1) Official records of every description shall be inspected or cause to be inspected by Heads of Departments at
regular intervals and steps taken to preserve them from damage.

(2) Subject to Treasury Instructions, accounting records and papers not required as a permanent record may be
destroyed or disposed of after the expiry of three years from the date of completion of any action in respect thereof:

Provided that, before the destruction or disposal thereof, officers shall satisfy themselves that such papers have no
historical or other value. In cases of doubt, reference shall be made to the State Secretary.

(3) All office files, documents and papers which are more than ten years old and which in the opinion of the Head of
Department do not possess sufficient value to warrant their preservation, may be destroyed or disposed of:

Provided that, before destroying or disposing any such file, document or paper, the Head of Department shall obtain
the concurrence of the Director of Museum, Sarawak.
Handing over 220.

(1) Every officer handing over charge of his duties to another officer shall obtain a receipt from his successor for any
cash, valuables, classified files or documents under his charge. He shall also prepare and hand over to him a list of
the routine duties of the office, together with such other information as may be required by the Standing Orders of
his department.

(2) Heads of Departments, Divisional departmental officers and administrative officers in charge of Districts shall
prepare handing-over notes for the information of their successors. Heads of Departments shall forward a copy of
their handing-over notes to the State Secretary, and Divisional departmental officers and administrative officers in
charge of Districts shall similarly forward a copy thereof to their respective Heads of Departments.

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