2 ahli Cuepacs terima pampasan

Harian Metro

KUALA LUMPUR: Buat pertama kalinya Kongres Kesatuan Pekerja Dalam Perkhidmatan Awam (Cuepacs) menyerahkan pampasan berjumlah RM32,246.74 kepada dua ahlinya yang mencarum dalam Skim Syariah Cuepacs.

Skim itu dilancarkan dengan kerjasama Takaful Ikhlas, mula dibuka kepada kakitangan awam dan ahli keluarga mereka pada 2005 dengan nilai caruman bulanan serendah RM10 selain memberi perlindungan terhadap 40 jenis penyakit kritikal.

Setiausaha Agung Cuepacs, Ahmad Shah Mohd Zin, berkata pihaknya tidak melihat pemberian pampasan itu sebagai ganti rugi tetapi lebih kepada tanggungjawab Cuepacs menjaga kebajikan ahli dan keluarga mereka.

Katanya, sebagai kongres kesatuan pekerja pihaknya berusaha memastikan kebajikan ahli terjamin dan menerima faedah daripada skim insurans dibangunkan termasuk menjadikannya sebagai simpanan berdisiplin untuk masa depan.

Cuepacs rancang skim hari tua

Berita Harian

Oleh Syarifah Salwa Syed Akil

KUALA LUMPUR: Cuepacs akan memperkenalkan Skim Simpanan Hari Tua sebagai menggalakkan kira-kira 1.2 juta kakitangan awam menyimpan untuk kegunaan hari tua mereka.

Skim yang berfungsi seperti Skim Simpanan Hari Tua kendalian Kumpulan Wang Simpanan Pekerja (KWSP) itu akan dilaksanakan sebaik saja mesyuarat kongres diadakan Ogos ini.

Setiausaha Agung Cuepacs, Ahmad Shah Mohd Zin, berkata pihaknya masih meneliti dan mengkaji syarikat insurans yang boleh bekerjasama dengan Cuepacs untuk melaksanakan skim itu.

“Kami belum memutuskan syarikat insurans mana akan dilantik atau bila dilaksanakan kerana ia diputuskan dalam mesyuarat kongres akan datang.

“Bagaimanapun, skim ini akan dilaksanakan secepat mungkin, sebaik saja keputusan sudah diperoleh. Pastinya, kami mempunyai beberapa kriteria yang perlu dilihat apabila membuat pemilihan antaranya syarikat itu perlu mempunyai reputasi baik dan kukuh,” katanya pada sidang media selepas majlis penyerahan cek pampasan kepada dua pemegang polisi Takaful Ikhlas Skim Syariah Cuepacs, di sini, semalam.

Turut hadir, Timbalan Naib Presiden Sektor Awam dan Perniagaan Korporat Takaful Ikhlas, Sheikh Abdul Rahman Sheikh Abdullah.

Ahmad Shah berkata, pelaksanaan skim baru itu sebagai tambahan kepada skim pencen sedia ada yang kini dinikmati sebahagian besar kakitangan awam di negara ini.

“Skim ini juga akan diklasifikasikan sebagai simpanan A, B serta C dan setakat ini kami masih belum memutuskan jenis simpanan untuk ketiga-tiganya,” katanya.

Beliau berkata, skim seumpama itu yang diperkenalkan kepada menjawat awam mungkin suatu yang baru kepada negara, tetapi di negara maju sudah lama dipraktikkan.

“Dalam memperjuangkan kebajikan kakitangan awam, kami tidak pernah lupa mengingatkan mereka membuat simpanan untuk masa depan mereka dan ahli keluarga.

“Justeru, kami memperkenalkan skim simpanan sukarela dengan mereka boleh membuat simpanan untuk masa depan, selain daripada skim pencen dinikmati sekarang,” katanya.

Katanya, cadangan awal skim itu berpandukan kepada permintaan kakitangan awam sendiri yang mahu menabung untuk simpanan dan hanya boleh dikeluarkan pada usia tua.

“Cuepacs membuat kajian terhadap kehendak penjawat awam dan kita dapati bukan saja mereka mahukan simpanan untuk hari tua, malah rawatan perubatan terbaik selain ditawarkan kerajaan,” katanya.

Cuepacs: Test should stay, but with changes

NST

PUTRAJAYA:The competency level appraisal test (Penilaian Tahap Kecekapan) for civil servants should stay, but on condition that changes be made to it, Cuepacs said yesterday.

Its president, Omar Osman, said Cuepacs would propose the changes to Chief Secretary to the Government Tan Sri Sidek Hassan before July 15.

Cuepacs has set up a taskforce to outline the changes.

The task force, of which Omar is chairing, will meet affiliates tomorrow to finalise details before submitting the proposals to the government.

"This will be done fast because we do not want those who failed PTK, especially those in the lower grades, to suffer."
Cuepacs has objected to PTK since its introduction in 2003 and demanded it be abolished.

"We agree that PTK should stay, but different form of assessment should be used to evaluate the different grades of civil servants.

"We do not want it to be too exam-oriented as this will make it difficult for those who entered public service with minimum qualifications, like the Penilaian Menengah Rendah (PMR) or even Standard Six, to pass the exam."

Lots of complaints had also been received from those who passed with excellent results.

"Though they passed the exam with flying colours, they still did not get salary shift or increment and this is disappointing.

"Cuepacs wants all civil servants who passed with excellent results to be given an automatic salary increment."

Omar also claimed that some heads of department had not been flexible by forcing their staff to sit the exam instead of allowing them to undergo courses, one of the mechanisms used by the Public Service Department (PSD) to increase the chances for promotion.

Under PTK, several mechanisms are used to increase the chances of civil servants, especially those in the lower-ranking and support category, for promotion.

It is up to the heads of department or agency to decide which one, be it in the form of examination, observation or course, to evaluate the attitude, skills and knowledge of their staff.

PSD corporate and communication head Hasniah Rashid had said professional development came in the form of an examination but for drivers, gardeners, hospital attendants or workers with Standard Six qualifications, for instance, they could be observed by the respective heads of department for upgrading purposes.

Interviews can be held, without them having to take the exam.

Heads of department can also opt for them to attend evaluation courses.

Omar said Cuepacs would bring up the matter with Sidek.

"In a meeting recently, Sidek had said there were many mechanisms which heads of department could use to evaluate their staff.

"It is regrettable that some heads of department are acting like little Napoleons by not using the appropriate instruments to help their staff get promoted."

Guru patut diberi peluang mengurus

Berita Harian

UMUMNYA, semua kesatuan guru menentang kemasukan Pegawai Tadbir dan Diplomatik (PTD) ke Jabatan Pelajaran Negeri (JPN). Secara tidak langsungnya, ia memberi beberapa kesan dan impak kepada profesion perguruan.

Apa yang kita maklumi dasar Kementerian Pelajaran adalah untuk memartabatkan profesion perguruan dengan meningkatkan kualiti guru, kerjaya guru dan kebajikan guru. Oleh itu, pengurusan di JPN seharusnya dipikul oleh golongan guru yang memahami tugas dalam bidang perguruan.

Matlamat kementerian adalah untuk menjadikan profesion perguruan dihormati dan dipandang tinggi sesuai dengan amanah yang dipikul dalam pembinaan generasi masa depan negara. Semestinya guru perlu diberi pendedahan dalam segenap lapisan pengurusan termasuk pengurusan di JPN.

Pengurusan di JPN sudah tentu akan memantapkan kerjaya guru, menambah baik persekitaran kerja dan kebajikan guru, memantapkan perancangan dan pengurusan dalam hal berkaitan dengan guru.

Pelan Induk Pembangunan Pendidikan (PIPP) menyatakan bahawa bagi memantapkan kerjaya guru dan menambah baik perjawatan guru dengan menambahkan perjawatan dan peluang naik pangkat.

Secara peribadi, saya juga tidak bersetuju kemasukan PTD ke JPN, tetapi beberapa perkara perlu ditekankan supaya pengurusan berjalan lancar, efisien dan bersistematik.

Sebagai penjawat awam, semestinya utamakan bekerja dengan lebih sistematik dan mesra pelanggan. Jangan ada kritikan dan pelbagai aduan pelanggan terhadap mutu kerja.

Budaya ‘senyum selalu’ dan mesra pelanggan perlulah diamalkan supaya kualiti kerja dapat ditingkatkan. Perlu ada usaha meningkatkan mutu perkhidmatan dari semasa ke semasa dan peka suasana tempat kerja.

Elakkan menggunakan waktu kerja di tempat minum dengan menggunakan masa yang lama. Keadaan ini masih menjadi budaya dan amalan seharian.

Kurangkan kerenah birokrasi apabila pelanggan berurusan. Perdana Menteri, Datuk Seri Abdullah Ahmad Badawi, pernah menyuarakan supaya dikurangkan kerenah birokrasi dan amalkan budaya kerja dengan lebih sistematik dan teratur.

Perkembangan dan perubahan yang berlaku dalam bidang pendidikan hari ini haruslah seiring dengan gerak kerja yang berkualiti serta kemantapan pengurusan.

Masyarakat juga sedia maklum kesungguhan dan tanggungjawab guru dalam mendidik anak bangsa amat tinggi. Sudah tentu ini akan meningkatkan persepsi masyarakat terhadap profesion perguruan, sekali gus memartabatkan profesion ini.

AFNAN ADNAN,
Gombak, Selangor.

Usah perbesar isu PTD ke JPN

Berita Harian

SAYA merujuk komen ‘Yang Memahami Guru’ dari Batu Caves, Selangor menerusi ruangan ini pada 4 Julai lalu. Sepatutnya kita semua berfikiran positif dalam menyelami isu ini kerana tujuan Kementerian Pelajaran amat baik.

Jika guru masih mencari pelbagai alasan dan sebab untuk menolak kemasukan Pegawai Tadbir dan Diplomatik (PTD), selama-lamanya tahap pendidikan negara tidak akan berkembang.

Menteri Pelajaran beberapa kali memberi jaminan bahawa guru tidak perlu risau mengenai kenaikan pangkat kerana kementerian akan menambahkan bilangan jawatan sedia ada untuk menjamin peluang itu.

Jika perkara ini sentiasa dibangkitkan oleh guru sebagai alasan, saya ingin bertanya apakah mereka tidak mempercayai atau tidak yakin dengan jaminan yang dibuat oleh Menteri Pelajaran.

Saya berharap isu ini tidak lagi diperbesarkan kerana apa yang kita perlu buat adalah tunggu dan lihat perubahan yang bakal dilaksanakan pegawai PTD yang diserapkan ke Jabatan Pelajaran Negeri (JPN).

D ari segi pentadbiran, kita mungkin tidak akan mendengar lagi keluhan guru yang baru bertugas tidak mendapat gaji selama enam bulan, isu pelantikan, kenaikan pangkat serta pertukaran dan sebagainya.

Isu peruntukan tidak cukup, keadaan sekolah daif serta surat menyurat hilang sepatutnya tidak timbul lagi pada alaf baru ini. Sama-samalah kita fikirkan.

ORANG TENGAH,
Sungai Buloh, Selangor.

JPA diminta terima bekas penagih

Berita Harian

AGENSI Anti Dadah Kebangsaan (AADK) mencadangkan Jabatan Perkhidmatan Awam (JPA) menarik balik syarat bekas penagih dadah tidak layak memohon jawatan dalam perkhidmatan awam selain menilai semula peraturan menghentikan perkhidmatan kakitangan yang terbabit dalam penagihan dadah.

Timbalan Menteri Kementerian Keselamatan Dalam Negeri, Datuk Mohd Johari Baharum, berkata langkah itu diharap dapat mengembalikan bekas penagih ke pangkuan masyarakat.

"Kita minta syarat itu ditarik balik. Selain itu, syarat yang menyatakan penjawat awam yang terbabit dalam penagihan dadah akan diberhentikan serta-merta juga diminta dikaji semula," katanya menjawab soalan tambahan Datuk Abdul Ghapur Salleh (BN-Kalabakan) yang ingin tahu sama ada kerajaan bercadang membina pusat khas bekas penagih yang dijaga satu kementerian.

Mohd Johari berkata, isu penagihan dadah membabitkan banyak pihak dan masalah itu tidak mampu diselesaikan kerajaan secara bersendirian.

"Kerajaan mengaku pusat perkhidmatan untuk bekas penagih dadah masih tidak mencukupi dan akan memperbanyakkan pusat seperti itu dan ini membabitkan peruntukan besar.

"Kita akan membina lebih banyak pusat khidmat daerah khusus untuk bekas penagih dadah di seluruh negara, memandangkan 17 pusat yang sedia ada tidak mencukupi,” katanya.

PTK: 75 peratus gagal jawab Rukun Negara

Utusan Online

KUALA KRAI 3 Julai – Sebanyak 75 peratus kakitangan awam yang menjalani peperiksaan Penilaian Tahap Kecekapan (PTK) gagal menjawab soalan berhubung matlamat kewujudan prinsip Rukun Negara yang telah diperkenalkan lebih 20 tahun lalu.

Ketua Pengarah Jabatan Perpaduan Negara dan Integrasi Nasional, Datuk Azman Amin Hassan berkata, ia membawa gambaran yang mengecewakan dalam usaha mengukuhkan penghayatan dan amalan Rukun Negara.

Sehubungan itu katanya, pelbagai program ke arah kefahaman dan kesedaran akan terus diperhebatkan dengan sasaran semua kaum, terutama di sekolah-sekolah melalui Kelab Rukun Negara.

“Jabatan memperuntukkan RM24 juta bagi menjalankan pelbagai program bagi mengukuhkan penghayatan dan amalan Rukun Negara.

“Ini termasuk penyaluran RM1,000 kepada setiap 500 kelab terpilih daripada 5,000 Kelab Rukun Negara yang ditubuhkan di sekolah serta institusi pengajian tinggi,” katanya.

Beliau berucap melancarkan Kelab Rukun Negara peringkat negeri Kelantan di Sekolah Menengah Kebangsaan (SMK) Pahi di sini hari ini.

Hadir sama Pengarah Pelajaran Kelantan, Ismail Md. Noor dan Pengarah Perpaduan Negara dan Integrasi Nasional Negeri Kelantan, Abdul Hadi Mohd Salleh.

Katanya, kefahaman terhadap prinsip dan falsafah Rukun Negara perlu ditingkatkan di kalangan generasi muda pelbagai kaum melalui program yang lebih berkesan.

‘‘Justeru melalui kelab berkenaan yang menghimpunkan semua kaum, banyak aktiviti dapat dilaksanakan ke arah menerapkan semangat perpaduan yang lebih kental,” katanya.

Selain itu, menurut Azman, pihaknya juga akan mengadakan siri jelajah ke seluruh negara melalui program untuk menerapkan amalan perpaduan.

Kemasukan PTD jejas peluang guru

Berita Harian

MULAI bulan ini, Pegawai Tadbir dan Diplomatik (PTD) ditempatkan di semua Jabatan Pelajaran Negeri (JPN) yang selama ini diurus sepenuhnya oleh guru (Pegawai Perkhidmatan Pendidikan).

Masyarakat juga sedia maklum yang semua kesatuan guru menentang kemasukan PTD ke JPN. Antara sebab utama kesatuan guru menentang kemasukan PTD adalah ia memberi beberapa implikasi kepada profesion perguruan.

Antaranya, ia akan menutup peluang guru untuk naik pangkat. Kalau semua jawatan dalam jabatan diisi oleh PTD, bagaimana peluang guru untuk naik pangkat dan mengisi jawatan dalam jabatan?

Ia akan menjatuhkan motivasi guru untuk bekerja dengan gigih dan tekun. Semangat mereka akan jatuh kerana menyedari peluang mereka naik pangkat sudah tiada disebabkan peluang untuk menjawat jawatan dalam jabatan dirampas oleh PTD.

Implikasi kedua adalah peranan guru sebagai pembuat dasar pendidikan negara akan terhapus. Ia secara tidak langsung menjatuhkan kualiti pendidikan negara sekiranya peranan itu diambil alih oleh PTD, sedangkan pihak yang layak membuat dan menggubal dasar pendidikan negara adalah guru.

Hanya guru yang memahami apa yang diperlukan dalam membentuk sesuatu modal insan. Apa PTD tahu dalam membentuk modal insan?

Gurulah yang selama ini mendidik anak bangsa. Mereka yang selama ini setiap hari mendidik anak bangsa dalam proses pengajaran dan pembelajaran (P&P) dalam kelas. Mereka juga bukan setakat mengajar, malah mengurus disiplin pelajar, mengurus bilik darjah, mengurus aktiviti kokurikulum, di samping terbabit dalam pengurusan dan kewangan sekolah.

Mereka saja yang tahu masalah sebenar di sekolah. Mereka saja yang tahu apa yang sesuai dalam membentuk dasar pendidikan negara dan layak membuat dan membentuk dasar pendidikan negara.

YANG MEMAHAMI GURU,
Batu Caves, Selangor.

Simply amazed by NRD service

The Star

TO MY surprise, the service at the National Registration Department in Putrajaya was amazing!

My family and I were there to apply for an identity card (IC) for my daughter who had turned 12; change an error on my wife's IC; my son's IC was torn in two; and to change some information on the ICs of my three children.

All the above matters were handled in less than an hour.

In fact, we are very obliged and should say a special thanks to Rashidan, the officer in attendance, who was very helpful. He and some of his colleagues seem to be very committed.

We also wish to thank Director-General Datuk Mohd Abdul Halim Mohamad for his consideration in assisting us on the amendments to my children's ICs.

I think under his leadership there have been lots of changes in the operations of the JPN for the betterment and well being of the public.

PRABU,

Kuala Lumpur.

Keep the bad apples in check

The Star

WE REFER to “Throw out the Bad Apples” (Sunday Star, June 17) and agree that it is high time the Government deals more seriously with their more than a million employees to further improve its delivery system.

The Government under Prime Minister Datuk Seri Abdullah Ahmad Badawi has increased the salary of civil servants by between 7.5% and 35%, and naturally as citizens of Malaysia we expect better services from the civil servants.

Immigration (passport section) and immigration checkpoints at KLIA and the Causeway; the National Registration Department (NRD) and JPJ (Road Transport Department) have improved their delivery system tremendously.

But this is not so obvious at the land office. Sometimes, it takes months if not years to get anything done at the land office.

We would like to know why it takes so long to get anything approved. If we are inefficient, Foreign Direct Investments (FDI) will be easily driven away. No one in his right mind would like to put up with nonsense.

In order to further improve our delivery system, we suggest that the government (both Federal and State) keep their employees on their toes. Those who drag their feet must be given show cause letters why their services should not be terminated for incompetence or negligence.

As elaborated by Tun Hanif Omar, the former Inspector-General of Police (IGP), we must throw out the Bad Apples. Those who do not take their jobs seriously must be dealt with.

We are confident that at the rate the Government is paying its employees now, it will be able to recruit the best and more committed workers. This will directly improve their ability to deliver excellent services to the public and, indirectly, attract more FDIs and tourists to our country.

PHILIP WONG PAK MING,

President,

Sarawak-Sabah Foochow Association, Malaysia.

Shahrizat still pushing for 84

The Star

KUALA LUMPUR: Women, Family and Community Development Minister Datuk Seri Shahrizat Abdul Jalil is still pushing for maternity leave for civil servants to be increased from 60 days to 84.

She said the ministry had gathered feedback from employers on all issues they were unsure about pertaining to the proposal.

There is concern in the private sector that it too would come under pressure to extend the same medical benefit to workers if the Government decides to increase the duration of the present maternity leave for civil servants.

Digital age: NAM Institute for the Empowerment of Women workers (from left) Noor Farahstin Hassan, Noor Azneem Amarullah and Nurhizam Ab Halim checking out POPnet at the conference venue yesterday. — Bernama

“We are getting data so as to assuage their fears.

“We will never go to Cabinet to ask for something that will put women in a position where they will be eased out of employment,” Shahrizat told reporters after opening a national population conference and launching the population and development database system (POPnet) here yesterday.

She said, initially, employers were not too happy with the proposal but after discussing the matter with her, many began to realise that a family-friendly workplace would increase productivity and benefit them in the long run.

“When we pointed out the long-term investment in a family-friendly workplace, they began to see what we meant.

“Studies have shown that it will increase productivity,” she said, adding that she would present a paper on the proposal to the Cabinet.

Earlier in her speech, Shahrizat said that of the country's 26.6 million population, about 32% are under 15 years of age, 61% are in the working age category (15 to 59 years old) and up to 7% are 60 and above.

She said the ministry was looking into the possibility of how to provide assistance to senior citizens to venture into small-scale businesses.

Nurses must be housed close to the hospital

The Star

NURSES form about 60% of the population in any hospital establishment. Whenever any planning is made for hospitals, whether it is for the private sector or the public, provisions are usually made to house some of these nurses.

They have to be on call for certain sections like the operation theatres and other critical areas, and priority is usually given to those who work in these areas.

Way back in 1967 when Penang was under curfew because of the “hartal,” many of us could not go to work. To move around you would need curfew passes or police escorts.

Bicycles and motorcycles were the common mode of transportation then. Buses were not running as well.

So to man the emergency department, operation theatres, and surgical wards, the nurses who were staying in the hostel were roped in. Those who could not go home once the curfew was imposed, had to stay in the hostel.

Well, we survived for three days without a change of undergarments and on a diet of salt fish to tell the tale. People must not forget history.

Why this fact is being brought up again is to remind the authorities and planners of having a nurses' hostel near an established regional hospital.

I pray it will never happen again. But how are you going to rope in your nurses during emergencies? Before the current nurses’ hostel is pulled down, a new one must be built.

Telling them to rent houses and rooms with their current cola and housing allowances is not the answer.

It is an easy matter actually, but have we looked into the establishment’s needs? I hope the planners have done so.

EXPERIENCED NURSE,

Penang.

Allow local professionals to implement quality systems

NST

I NOTED the letter by P. George of Johor Baru,"Seek world-class recognition" (NST June 29).

He advocates government and private hospitals seeking recognition from the Joint Commission International (JCI), a hospital accreditation body based in the United States.

He seems to imply that in hospitals with such accreditation, cases of apparent medical negligence may be reduced.

Hospitals are dangerous places. Welcome announcements to a hospital may sound like this: "Welcome to Hospital XYZ. There is a two per cent chance that you may acquire a life-threatening infection during your stay in this hospital.

"There is a one per cent chance that your baby may be admitted after delivery etc, etc". Frightening but true in some hospitals!
It is impossible to estimate the frequency of medical mistakes, but there can be no doubt that mistakes are more common than most of us realise.

The only published information available comes from the US.

A study conducted in California in 1974 concluded that three million hospital admissions led to 140,000 injuries, giving an incidence of 4.7 per cent.

Another review (Harvard Medical Practice Study, 1990) conducted in New York concluded that 2.7 million hospital admissions led to 98,600 adverse events, giving an incidence rate of 3.7 per cent.

With five million hospital admissions a year in England alone, this might mean almost 200,000 medical accidents in English hospitals.

In Australia, 16.6 per cent of hospital admissions had an associated adverse event.

The medical profession in Malaysia has also realised that we need to learn from our mistakes and, more importantly, prevent similar events from occurring in hospitals.

Hospitals have been urged to set up quality and audit systems and institutionalise them by applying for accreditation and ISO certification.

Malaysia has its own Malaysian Society for Quality in Health (MSQH), the only body that is recognised to carry out hospital accreditation.

It is a vigorous and thorough exercise which checks that hospitals have systems in place that emphasise patient safety and medical audits.

The exercise is based on international standards with local modifications.

The MSQH is affiliated to the International Society for Quality in Health (ISQua) and is now in the process of forming ASQua (the Asian equivalent).

It is to be noted that Singapore does not have its own national accrediting body and that is why it depends on JCI for hospital accreditation.

Eighty-eight Malaysian hospitals have undergone the first cycle accreditation survey (each cycle is three years). Thirty-five hospitals are into the second cycle and seven are in the third cycle.

The Health Ministry has emphasised that only accredited hospitals will take part in health tourism promotions.

We need not look far to ensure that our hospitals are safe and not ailing.

Let us support our own professional bodies in their efforts at accreditation and implementing quality systems. We should support local solutions for local problems.

Education D-G to take up Seameo post

The Star

PUTRAJAYA: Education director-general Datuk Dr Ahamad Sipon will be the next director of the South-East Asian Ministers of Education Organisation (Seameo) Secretariat in Bangkok.

He will be retiring as director-general on July 15 and taking up the new post early next year.

Dr Ahamad: Started his career in education 30 years ago

“Although we will soon be losing a person of great capability in the field of education, I believe the Seameo secretariat in Bangkok will become more successful under Dr Ahamad’s management,” said Deputy Education Minister Datuk Hon Choon Kim at the ministry’s monthly meeting here yesterday.

He added that Dr Ahamad had contributed much to the ministry and chalked up many achievements as director-general.

When contacted, the director-general declined to comment on his coming retirement and new role in Seameo, saying he would speak on these matters to the press later.

Dr Ahamad started his career in education 30 years ago when he became a lecturer at the Ungku Omar Polytechnic in Ipoh in 1975.

The posts he had held in the ministry before his appointment as director-general in February 2005 include Polytechnic Management Division director and deputy director-general (technical)

He obtained his doctorate in technical and vocational education from the Virginia Polytechnic Institute and State University in the United States.

On another matter, Hon said the ministry was focusing on developing human capital this month, the second thrust under the National Education Blueprint 2006-2010.

He said the ministry had planned about 90 activities to be implemented nationwide as part of Fitness Month, launched last Saturday in line with this month’s focus.

“We have also realised how important Rimup (the Student Integration Plan for Unity) is for developing human capital. If Malaysia wants to prosper, we have to unite all races in this country,” he added.

The other five thrusts under the blueprint are nation-building, strengthening national schools, narrowing the education gap, improving the teaching profession and accelerating excellence at educational institutions.

Dewan Rakyat: 617 govt employees held over corruption

NST

A TOTAL of 617 government employees from various departments were picked up for corruption between 2005 and April this year by the Anti-Corruption Agency, Prime Minister Datuk Seri Abdullah Ahmad Badawi said.

During the same period, 304 other employees were prosecuted for various offences, he said in a written reply to a question from Datuk Ismail Sabri Yaakob (BN-Bera).

"Of the number detained, 394 or 63.9 per cent were law enforcement personnel, while 169 or 55.6 per cent of the enforcement personnel have been prosecuted."

Ismail had asked the prime minister to state the number of government servants, particularly in the enforcement section, who had been arrested and charged under the Anti-Corruption Act and the details according to their designations.

Abdullah said members of the police force comprised the biggest number of law enforcement personnel detained and charged, with 296 arrests and 128 of the cases brought to court.
Next, came employees in local authorities, with 36 arrested and 16 charged; Customs Department (20 arrested, seven charged); Road Transport Department (17 arrested, nine charged); Immigration Department (13 arrested, four charged); and, other departments (12 arrested, five charged), he added.

Abdullah said though the percentages of law enforcement personnel arrested and charged were high, various other factors had to be considered, such as the high number of personnel, financial allocation, jurisdiction and activities entrusted to the agencies involved. — Bernama

CUEPACS tolak peperiksaan PTK

Utusan Online

Oleh HATA WAHARI

KUALA LUMPUR 1 Julai – Kongres Kesatuan Pekerja Di Dalam Perkhidmatan Awam (CUEPACS) menerima pelaksanaan sistem Penilaian Tahap Kecekapan (PTK) untuk menilai kecekapan kakitangan perkhidmatan awam tetapi menolak sistem peperiksaannya.

Presidennya, Omar Osman berkata, kongres tersebut mahu sistem tersebut diganti dengan cara penilaian baru yang lebih berkesan.

‘‘Mesyuarat Kongres CUEPACS hari ini bersetuju untuk menerima sistem PTK tetapi menolak pelaksanaan sistem itu melalui peperiksaan seperti yang dilaksanakan sekarang,’’ katanya.

Beliau berkata demikian kepada pemberita selepas mempengerusikan mesyuarat Kongres Khas CUEPACS di Wisma CUEPACS di sini, hari ini.

Omar memberitahu, CUEPACS telah menubuhkan satu jawatankuasa khas yang dipengerusikan oleh beliau untuk menghantar cadangan baru kepada Jabatan Perkhidmatan Awam (JPA) mengenai mekanisme yang boleh digunakan untuk melaksanakan PTK.

Ujar beliau, jawatankuasa khas itu akan bermesyuarat Jumaat ini dan menghantar cadangan tersebut kepada JPA sebelum 25 Julai untuk diperhalusi.

‘‘CUEPACS menerima saranan JPA, PTK perlu diteruskan, namun kami tidak berpuas hati dengan penambahbaikan yang dibuat oleh jabatan itu kerana ia tidak mencapai matlamatnya.

‘‘Kami mahu sistem pelaksanaan PTK digantikan dengan pakej baru yang diselaraskan dengan aspek pembangunan modal insan dan kualiti kerja,’’ katanya.

Omar menambah, CUEPACS juga mahukan pegawai serta kakitangan yang telah lulus aras empat dalam peperiksaan PTK sebelum ini diberikan anjakan gaji serta dipertimbangkan untuk kenaikan pangkat.

Sementara itu, mengenai gaji baru pegawai dan kakitangan perkhidmatan awam, beliau memberitahu, pada masa ini tidak berlaku sebarang masalah dari segi pelaksanaannya.

Perdana Menteri pada 21 Mei lepas mengumumkan kenaikan gaji baru kakitangan kerajaan yang membabitkan kenaikan gaji antara 7.5 peratus dan 35 peratus bermula bulan ini.

Omar berkata, semua pelaksanaan gaji baru dalam sektor awam berjalan baik setakat ini cuma ada masalah dari segi kenaikan yang tidak seimbang dalam Gred DG 32 dan Gred DG41.

‘‘Perkara ini telah dirujuk kepada JPA dan ia akan diselesaikan dalam tempoh terdekat,’’ katanya.

Mengenai pelaksanaan gaji baru Angkatan Tentera Malaysia (ATM), beliau berkata, terdapat kekeliruan kerana anggota-anggota pangkat bawahan merupakan Kumpulan Sokongan 1 yang hanya mendapat kenaikan gaji 25 peratus dan bukan 35 peratus.

Omar memberitahu, anggota pangkat rendah ATM menerima kenaikan gaji 20 peratus sebelum ini dan mereka telah diberi peningkatan gred iaitu dari Kumpulan Sokongan 2 kepada Kumpulan Sokongan 1.

Tegasnya, apa yang dilaksanakan oleh Majlis ATM adalah tepat berdasarkan kepada pekeliling JPA.

Mengenai Tabung Amal Pegawai dan Kakitangan Awam, Omar memberitahu, tabung itu akan diwujudkan awal tahun depan selepas segala persoalan mengenai undang-undang diperhalusi.

Jelas beliau, CUEPACAS perlu berhati-hati dalam mengumpulkan dana kakitangan awam memandangkan ia membabitkan peruntukan undang-undang.

‘‘CUEPACS jangka tabung itu akan dapat dilaksanakan pada 2008 dan telah bersetuju semua pegawai dan kakitangan awam menyumbang RM1 sebulan,’’ katanya.

‘Guru Kampung’ hanya bernasib baik

Berita Harian

MERUJUK kepada surat ‘Guru Kampung’ dari Temerloh, Pahang pada 22 Jun lalu, saya mengucapkan tahniah kerana anda adalah antara guru yang beruntung mendapat durian runtuh kenaikan gaji.

Anda mula berkhidmat pada 1997, mendapat ‘time-based’ GD32 dan menikmati gaji baru RM2,416.

Memang sepatutnya anda bersyukur dan semestinya anda perlu meningkatkan komitmen sebagai pendidik yang mengutamakan keikhlasan bekerja berbanding imbuhan.

Apalagi anda tinggal di kampung, dengan pendapatan setinggi itu memang cukup selesa.

Berbanding dengan saya yang mula berkhidmat pada 1994 di sekolah bandar, kemudian menyambung pelajaran melalui Pendidikan Jarak Jauh (PJJ) dan dilantik ke DG41 pada 2004. Saya lulus Ujian Penilaian Tahap Kecekapan (PTK) DG41 dan mendapat markah lebih 90 peratus tiga tahun berturut-turut dan kini dengan kenaikan baru DG41 sebanyak 15 peratus dan gaji saya cuma RM2,232.

Saya perlu menunggu enam tahun lagi untuk memohon ‘time-based’ DG44 sedangkan umur saya sudah lebih 40 tahun. Saya pernah menerima anugerah cemerlang dan anak didik saya ramai melanjutkan pelajaran dan mendapat pekerjaan.

Itu bukti kejayaan dan keikhlasan yang memberi kepuasan cukup bermakna kepada saya.

Guru DG41 yang menyuarakan ketidakpuasan gaji DG41 lebih rendah bukan bermaksud guru itu tiada keikhlasan mengajar atau hanya mementingkan wang ringgit dan imbuhan.

Pada pandangan saya, tidak salah jika menyuarakan hak kita untuk memperbaiki kelemahan sedia ada agar pihak bertanggungjawab dapat memperbaikinya sebelum keadaan menjadi lebih tidak profesional.

Siapalah kita untuk menentukan keikhlasan mengajar seseorang guru. Sepatutnya sebagai pendidik, kita perlu memahami masalah rakan seperjuangan dan mengetahui kekeliruan ini dengan mendalam sebelum membuat kenyataan yang boleh menyinggung rakan kita sendiri.

Kita hanya hamba Allah yang daif keikhlasan seseorang guru bukan kita yang menentukan.

Keikhlasan dan perjuangan dua keadaan berbeza. Sekurang-kurangnya tugas guru DG41 memperjuangkan nasib mereka dengan memberitahu perkara sebenar, selebihnya terpulanglah kepada pihak yang berkenaan sama ada mahu mendengar atau membiarkan saja kelemahan itu terus berlalu.

Tugas itu satu amanah dan saya percaya Jabatan Perkhidmatan Awam (JPA) dan Kementerian Pelajaran pasti tidak mahu isu ini berlarutan dan sedang berusaha mencari jalan penyelesaian.

Kepada ‘Guru Kampung’, memang bersyukur jika menjadi guru kampung yang kos kehidupan tidak tinggi dan tidak perlu membayar hutang kerana menyambung pelajaran. Tetapi tolong fahami masalah orang lain yang nasibnya tidak sebaik anda.

GURU BANDAR,
Kota Kinabalu, Sabah.

Cola tidak sama di Terengganu

Berita Harian

SAYA ingin merakamkan ucapan setinggi-tinggi penghargaan dan terima kasih kepada kerajaan kerana menaikkan gaji termasuk Elaun Sara Hidup (Cola) bagi semua kakitangan kerajaan berkuat kuasa, 1 Julai ini.

Bagaimanapun didapati pembayaran Cola bagi Terengganu adalah tidak sama jumlahnya antara daerah di negeri ini.

Bagi kakitangan kerajaan yang bekerja di daerah Kuala Terengganu dan Kemaman dibayar Cola kadar lama sebanyak RM100, manakala bagi lima lagi daerah lain, Cola dibayar RM50, juga kadar lama.

Saya merayu kepada kerajaan supaya mengkaji semula kadar pembayaran Cola di Terengganu dan memohon supaya semua kakitangan kerajaan dibayar sama rata RM100 bagi semua daerah. Ini adalah kerana harga barang yang dijual di daerah adalah lebih tinggi daripada Kuala Terengganu.

Kebanyakan aktiviti perniagaan berpusat di Kuala Terengganu dan sebarang barang sama ada makanan, pakaian, keperluan dapur, elektrik dan lain-lain semuanya terlebih dulu di kumpulkan di Kuala Terengganu sebelum diedarkan ke daerah lain.

Keadaan ini menyebabkan berlaku sedikit perbezaan harga sama ada bagi barangan atau perkhidmatan antara daerah Kuala Terengganu dengan daerah lain.

Penduduk yang tinggal di luar Kuala Terengganu terpaksa berbelanja lebih untuk mendapatkan perkhidmatan terbaik dan berkualiti. Sebagai contoh hospital induk dan beberapa jabatan kerajaan hanya terdapat di Kuala Terengganu.

Untuk menonton perlawanan bola sepak Piala Malaysia dan lain-lain persembahan hiburan pun mereka terpaksa ke Kuala Terengganu, malah, lapangan terbang dan stesen bas utama pun beroperasi di Kuala Terengganu.

Rumah sewa di daerah kecil dan di kawasan terpencil juga mahal kerana tidak banyak rumah yang ada disebabkan kurang permintaan.

Lagipun kebanyakan rumah kurang selesa dan tidak sepadan dengan sewa dikenakan.

Kami berharap kerajaan menimbang menaikkan kadar Cola daripada RM50 kepada RM100 (kadar lama) bagi semua kakitangan kerajaan yang bekerja di semua daerah di Terengganu

Saya yakin dengan kenaikan Cola ini tidak akan membebankan kewangan kerajaan kerana bilangan kakitangan yang bekerja di daerah berkenaan tidaklah sebesar mana pun berbanding dengan Kuala Terengganu dan Kemaman.

KAKITANGAN KERAJAAN,
Terengganu.

Nurses are highly-trained professionals

The Star

WHILE I agree with Deputy Health Minister Datuk Dr Abdul Latiff Ahmad’s recommendation that more nurses should go for postgraduate training, I respectfully object to his contrasting “mature and responsible nurses with those joining the profession after their SPM,” (The Star, June 30).

Perhaps it was unintentional, but this seems to imply that nurses who began their training with only an SPM qualification are immature and irresponsible.

I have a few older relatives and one friend who became trainee nurses after secondary school.

My classmate is not only the most hardworking person I know. She is also compassionate and intelligent.

Although she did not perform brilliantly in school as she came from a disadvantaged background, she always grasped concepts very quickly when explained.

She went into nursing because she wanted to help people, despite her parents’ opposition.

When I told her that nurses could make a lot of money by emigrating to western countries, she responded “Tujuan saya jadi jururawat bukan sebab nak jadi kaya (I didn’t become a nurse to get rich).”

Let us also remember that the Asian stigma against nurses as having low or dirty jobs is one of the major factors driving them out of our country, the Philippines, India, etc. to western countries where they are more appreciated by society, in addition to the better financial compensation.

Nurses are highly-trained professionals who operate under conditions of great stress and we should honour them for it – with or without a postgraduate degree.

HWA SHI-HSIA,

Madison, Wisconsin, US.

Health Ministry plans to revert to five-day work week

The Star

IT MAY soon be a thing of the past for civil servants in government hospitals to enjoy their current five-day week.

Sin Chew Daily reported that the Health Ministry was planning to revert the existing system to a six-day week in view of manpower shortage in government hospitals.

Since the implementation of five-day week last year, Health Minister Datuk Seri Chua Soi Lek said it took a longer time for patients to receive treatment or undergo surgeries.

He also said the implementation had slowed down the hospitals’ operations.

Chua stressed that if the current situation did not improve, he was prepared to bring the matter to the Cabinet for discussion.

The daily also reported that administrative staff in the police force were involved in crime prevention.

This showed that the police were serious in combating crime, according to Kuala Lumpur deputy CID chief Asst Comm Khaw Kok Chin.

He said while the police were trying hard to contain crime, the public should also be involved in crime prevention efforts.

He said the ratio of one policeman to 669 people in the city clearly showed the lack of manpower in the police force.

Hamdan: Offer pensioners credit cards

The Star

KOTA KINABALU: Financial institutions in the country should also make available credit cards for pensioners, said human rights and consumer activist Prof Datuk Dr Hamdan Adnan.

He said it was not right to deny them credit card facilities and hoped Bank Negara would look into the matter.

“With a monthly pension of RM3,000 in my case, I have personally visited more than 10 banks to apply for credit cards but all have turned me down. Some bank managers even laughed at me when they came to know that I am a pensioner but was applying for credit cards,” he said.

According to him, it was “unacceptable” for banks to fear that pensioners might not be able to pay their credit card bills. – Bernama

Cuepacs insists on wanting assessment scrapped

The Star

KUALA LUMPUR: Cuepacs will still submit a proposal to the Government to abolish the Efficiency Level Assessment (PTK) test for civil servants despite the Public Service Department having rejected an earlier request.

Cuepacs president Omar Osman said it would submit the proposal to the Chief Secretary to the Government within the next 14 days.

“We have agreed that there should be an assessment for civil servants but their level of competence should not be based on tests as currently practised.

“This is because the tests are only in favour of higher ranking officers. We do not want any more assessments based on tests.

“In the proposal, we will be suggesting methods that can be used to assess civil servants,” he said during a press conference after chairing a special congressional meeting, which was attended by more than 900 members here yesterday.

He also said Cuepacs, which represents most of the 1.2 million civil servants in the country, plans to set up a fund to help those in need.

If the constitution allows it, then RM1 will be deducted monthly from civil servants' salaries.