Cuepacs gets reassurance on pay request

By JANE RITIKOS

The Star

KUALA LUMPUR: The request from Cuepacs for a revision of civil servant salaries is under “active consideration” by the Public Service Department, Datuk Seri Abdullah Ahmad Badawi said.

The Prime Minister said the department would then bring the matter up with the Government.

He said this during a press conference after the Workers' Day gathering organised by the Human Resources Ministry at Stadium Putra in Bukit Jalil here yesterday.

He was asked whether the Government had made a decision on Cuepacs' request.

The union had submitted a memorandum to the Government asking for pay increases of between 10% and 40% for various grades of the civil service.

When contacted, Cuepacs president Omar Osman said Cuepacs was satisfied with Abdullah's response.

“We are also happy the Public Service Department has clarified that the supposed 10% across-the-board salary increase the Government would offer was just a rumour.”

Omar, who was also at yesterday's celebration, also called on the 1.2 million civil servants in the country to heed Abdullah’s call for them to increase productivity.

“We have to make a commitment to increase our productivity. This is what we must do to reciprocate the Government's good gesture.”

On Friday, Deputy Prime Minister Datuk Seri Najib Tun Razak said the final decision on Cuepac’s request would depend on whether the Government could afford it and whether Cuepacs was committed to increasing productivity.

Omar said Cuepacs would still hold a special congress meeting right after the Prime Minister’s gathering with 3,000 civil servants on May 21, whether or not he makes an announcement on the salary revision request.

On the 600,000 taxpayers who failed to return the “BE” form to the Inland Revenue Board within the April 30 deadline, Abdullah said this was an offence.