Civil servants to receive RM180 child care subsidy

Source : NST

PUTRAJAYA: More than 200,000 civil servants with a household income of less than RM2,000 are entitled to child care subsidy from this month.

Public Service Department director-general Tan Sri Ismail Adam said they will receive RM180 for each child placed with nurseries at government offices.

Ismail said household income refers to the combined salaries of the civil servant and his or her spouse, including allowances.

Government employees hired on a contractual or temporary basis are also entitled to receive the subsidy.

"They are entitled to the subsidy until the child attains the age of four," said Ismail.
For example, he said, if a child was born on Aug 20, 2003, his parents would be paid the subsidy until Dec 31, 2007.

He said the subsidy, which is intended to help civil servants in the lower income category, also applies to legally-adopted children.

He said those who want to get the subsidy, must apply for it at their respective human resource departments.

"To be considered, they must submit their applications before Dec 31 every year."

They are also required to submit certified copies of their salary slip as well as that of their spouse.

"If the spouse is not working with the government or is a housewife, then they should have their status or documents verified by a senior civil servant, the penghulu or the village development and security committee chairman."

They should also provide copies of their children’s birth certificates.

Ismail said civil servants will be allowed to send their children to nurseries at other government agencies.

He said these nurseries must be registered with the Welfare Department and run by the government agency’s human resources division.

The nursery should also comply with provisions under the Child Care Centre Act 1984.

According to Cuepacs’ estimates, more than 200,000 civil servants will benefit from the subsidy.

Cuepacs president Omar Osman said the government should direct all agencies to set up nurseries at their offices to allow more workers to benefit from the subsidy.

To date, only 93 nurseries have been set up at government offices nationwide.

Earlier this year, Women Family and Community Development Minister Datuk Seri Shahrizat Jalil said grants of up to RM80,000 would be given to departments wishing to set up nurseries.