To apply for job vacancies in the Malaysia Government and civil service, candidates are required to fill up SPA8 Form or Borang SPA8, as part of the pre-requisites.
Traditionally, SPA (Suruhanjaya Perkhidmatan Awam) advertises in major newspapers about two times in a year to announce the release of the SPA form, whereby interested job candidates can obtain the form from a number of selected avenues, offices and branches (also from the post office), together with the guideline book (buku panduan) which costs you RM5.
Through new initiative and as part of the government’s moves to advocate all things online, today you can minimize the hassle of queuing up to get the application form in post office and instead opt to submit your job application through Form SPA8 online (known as Borang SPA8i). Better, this method would not cost you a dime. Just like the e-filing, the form is only available in one language at the moment, and you guessed it correctly – it’s in Bahasa Malaysia.
Following is a series of simple steps that you can follow in order for you to apply your desired job vacancy with the government of Malaysia:
1. Bookmark the SPA8 Form Website Page
Yes, first of all, you need to know the URL of the website, otherwise you can’t start registering and applying for jobs. Click here to go to the SPA8i website page – opens in new window.
You will land at a content-rich page, where you can see a host of menus, guides and other peripheral information. All of these are useful depending on which category you belong to. In case you have problems viewing the information, there is also some piece of guideline that tells you what you need to do if problem occurs. Now depending on your qualification, you will need to fill the right form which is in accordance to your highest academic credential, i.e. the following:
- Degree/Masters or PhD
- Diploma/STP/STPM/HSC
- SPM/SPM(V)/Sijil
- PMR/SRP
- Kelayakan Bakat
- Latihan Separa Perubatan
Each category differs from each other through different Grading (Gred) and Salary Scale (Tangga Gaji) allocation, and comes with its own set of online application form. As such, particular care must be taken to ensure that the right form is picked up and filled. Also, as there will be a few sections to attend to, allow yourself between 45 minutes to 1 hour for the whole process from determining your desired job vacancies and completing & submitting your form.
2. Decide Which Job Vacancies You Want to Apply For
After making yourself familiar with the page, now it’s time to select the job vacancies you want to apply. The SPA8 form allows you to apply up to 10 different positions.
Available positions are available in the ‘Maklumat Jawatan‘ link, which can be seen all over the places. For each of different categories, up to 100 vacancies are listed, together with the corresponding position grade and the salary. Clicking on each position will open up a new Javascript window that tells more details about the job, including full requirement and responsibilities.
3. Select the Correct Form, and Start Filling Up
The next and perhaps the most important task is filling up your SPA8 form. Choose the correct form on your left menu according to your highest qualification.
A pop-up, online form will appear which is ready to be filled up, consisting about 4 pages. Among key information to be submitted are the selected vacancies, preferred job interview center and personal particulars. The most time consuming part is the academic section, but the rest should be a breeze.
Below is an example of part of the SPA8 form for a Degree, Masters and PhD holders; this is only 1 part of the whole 4 pages.
Candidates who have registered themselves through the online application form will be called up for interview within a year after application is submitted, if they are short listed for any particular job vacancy. Candidates who use the online form of SPA8 can also periodically check the status of their application online, through the same page shown at the beginning of this article, by keying in their I/C number.
PUO, which is located in Ipoh, Perak, was established in 1969 by the Ministry of Education, with the assistance from UNESCO (United Nations Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organization) and today stands proud with over 700 staff, 8 faculties and 12 administrative units. The polytechnic takes name from the late Dato’ Professor Ungku Omar, one of the famous academicians during the post independence years.
Also more popularly known as Politeknik Shah Alam (PSA), which was the original name of the institution, before it was changed to the current name, which is the country’s eleventh Agong. PSA is the first polytechnic in the country to have obtained the ISO 9002:1994 from SIRIM. It consists of 6 main faculties – Mechanical, Civil, Electric, Commerce, Mathematics & Computer and Science. Address: Persiaran Usahawan, Seksyen U1, 40150 Shah Alam, Selangor. Tel: 03-5569 1901.
POLIMAS is located in Bandar Darul Aman, Jitra, Kedah, about 40 minutes drive from the state capital, Alor Star. Originally, it was named Politeknik Alor Star when first established and was used by students of Sekolah Menengah Teknik Alor Star. From only 100 over students in the beginning, the institution has grown into providing various courses to more than 6000 students, backed by over 600 academic staff. The polytechnic’s website provides useful resources, download and applications for the use of both the students and teaching personnel. Address: Bandar Darul Aman, Jitra, 06000, Kedah. Tel: 04-9146 100.
Politeknik Seberai Perai is the 10th polytechnic institution established in the country, aligned with the government’s wish to produce more semi and full time professionals in the employment market, and was built in a land area of 100 acres in size. PSP offers full time and part time Certificates and Diploma courses in the field of Electrical Engineering, Mechanical and Commerce. Address: Jalan Permatang Pauh, 13500 Permatang Pauh, Penang. Tel: 04-5383 322/ 538 2599.
Located in Jasin, Politeknik Merlimau began its operation in 2002 as the 14th polytechnic in the Malaysia and today its main campus has the capability to provide more than 5000 students at one time. 7 faculties make up the institution, namely Civil, Mechanical, Commerce, Math & Science, Hospitality, Electrical and General Education. The campus comes together with a host of facilities including hostel, Islamic center, library, cafeteria and a sports center. Address: KB No. 1031, Pejabat Pos Merlimau, Merlimau, 77300, Melaka.
Established in 1987, PKS began its operation with only a handful of staff in a 112-acre land. The location of the institution which is right at the bottom of Serapi Hill provides a very conducive, fresh and peaceful study environment. Just like other polytechnics, PKS offers higher learning and training opportunities for SPM, STPM and SPMV students and leavers. One of the unique characteristics of PKS is its close partnership with PETRONAS in extending the relevant courses and industrial exposure to its students. Address: Beg Berkunci 3094, Matang, Kuching, 93050, Sarawak.
Politeknik Kota Bharu took 400 hundred students in its first intake, which now has grown multiple times into having close to 6000 students in its campus. The first campus was located in Sekolah Menengah Teknik Pasir Mas, before it moved to the current location in Ketereh. Apart from the normal or manual classes, the institution also advocates e-learning by providing the learning materials in their website. In addition, the website is also frequently updated with the latest news and resources. Address: KM24, Pangkal Kalong, Ketereh, 16450 Kelantan.
PKK commenced its operation in 1996 as the 7th polytechnic opened in the country by taking in about 80 students. Among the faculties in the institution are Civil Engineering, Mechanical, Electrical, Commerce and Hospitality. Additionally, it is also backed by the supporting units including the Administration, Hal Ehwal Pelajar, Examination Unit, Training & Higher Education, Multimedia, Quality, Counseling, Sports & Extra Curriculum and Industrial Training. Address: Jalan Politeknik, Menggatal, Kota Kinabalu, 88450, Sabah.
PPD encompasses Mechanical Engineering, Civil, Electrical, Commerce, Science & Mathematics and General Education faculties. The institution is located nearby one of the popular tourist attractions in Port Dickson making it one of the most happening and beautiful polytechnics around. The campus itself has undergone phases of upgrade and development, and until today has produced more than 10,000 graduates working in multitude of industries and sectors. Address: KM14, Jalan Pantai, Si Rusa, 71050, Negeri Sembilan.
POLISAS is one of the earliest and oldest polytechnics in the country, and was known as Politeknik Kuantan before the name changed to the present. A recent study showed that almost 50% of POLISAS graduate were gainfully employed and 20% pursued their studies at higher levels. Courses offered include Certificate and Diploma, in the field of Engineering (Civil, Electrical, Mechanical, Computer), Information Technology, Secretarial, Accounting, Food Technology and Data Processing. Address: Semambu, 25350 Pahang.
