10 January 2009

Cuepacs Tolak 40 Peratus Pindaan PTK

SUNGAI PETANI, 10 Jan (Bernama) -- Kongres Kesatuan Pekerja-Pekerja Di Dalam Perkhidmatan Awam (Cuepacs) menolak 40 peratus daripada keseluruhan 34 pindaan ke atas Penilaian Tahap Kecekapan (PTK) yang diterima Disember tahun lalu.

Presiden Cuepacs, Omar Osman berkata kongres berkenaan juga memutuskan untuk menubuhkan satu jawatankuasa bertindak khas untuk mengkaji dengan lebih terperinci pindaan tersebut.

"Kita bukan menolak sepenuhnya pindaan itu tapi banyak yang kita tak setuju.

"Salah satunya ialah sekiranya calon (gred 17 hingga 54) gagal dalam PTK, mereka tidak boleh mendudukinya semula, dulu tiada undang-undang ini," katanya ketika ditemui pemberita selepas Mesyuarat Majlis Kongres Khas di sini, Sabtu.

Omar berkata jawatankuasa khas yang ditubuhkan akan menyemak kembali butiran pindaan ke atas PTK setebal 27 muka surat dengan 34 tajuk itu dan akan menyerahkannya kepada Jabatan Perkhidmatan Awam dalam tempoh dua minggu.

"Pindaan ini akan disemak dengan teliti kerana pekeliling ini diedarkan tanpa maklum balas dan Cuepacs tak diberi taklimat mengenainya sebelum ini," katanya.

Sementara itu Omar berkata kongres tidak mempunyai sebarang bantahan atau masalah mengenai pekeliling lain termasuk mengenai pengurangan cuti selama lima hari dan hal berkaitan Gantian Cuti Rehat (GCR).

-- BERNAMA

Sabah officers to take over local civil posts step by step

The Star

KOTA KINABALU: No time frame has been set for the localisation, more popularly known as Borneonisation programme, of the federal service in Sabah, Minister in Prime Minister’s Department Tan Sri Bernard Dompok said.

He said capable local officers were being identified to take over federal departments and agencies in the state when the time was right.

However, Dompok stressed that they would not rush the Borneonisation programme through as they did not want to cause any type of disruption to the services of the relevant departments and agencies.

"Our keenness to have locals head federal departments and agencies does not mean that the current federal officers from peninsular Malaysia were not capable but we want our capable local officers to be given the opportunity, he added.

Dompok said this to reporters after accompanying state assistant minister to the Chief Minister Datuk Edward Khoo, who is Sabah MCA chairman, in a walkabout at Donggongon town and Kepayan housing area to distribute Chinese New Year cards.

In May last year, Prime Minister Datuk Seri Abdullah Ahmad Badawi had assured Sabah Barisan Nasional leaders that steps would be taken to allow local officers in the federal service to take up positions within the federal service in the state.

Since then several Sabahans have been appointed to key posts, including for the position of vice chancellor of Universiti Malaysia Sabah, Federal Financial Officer and state National Registration Department.

Dompok, who is minister overseeing federal departments in Sabah and Sarawak, said that they were looking at federal agencies like Immigration Department to be headed by capable local officers in due time.

On the promised additional RM1bil federal funding for rural projects, Dompok said that the state government was finalising the various projects and would be submitting it to the federal government for the allocations announced in May.

He said the additional allocations for Sabah and Sarawak MPs would also disbursed by the federal government later this year.

Perak govt drivers say allowances unchanged for 36 yrs

The Star

IPOH: The allowances for state government official drivers in Perak have apparently remained unchanged for decades.

According to Perak State Government Motorised Vehicles Drivers' Union president Abdullah Sani Asmoni, the various allowances they were eligible for had not been reviewed for the last 36 years.

"We hope Mentri Besar Datuk Seri Mohammad Nizar Jamaluddin will look into our plight.

"Besides that, we also want to be included in state functions and social events such as visits, study tours, family days and training," he said during the union's 2nd Biennial General Meeting on Saturday.

He added that the union, which had about 220 members, would be submitting an official memorandum to the state government after this.

It had also recently sent a memorandum to the Congress of Unions of Employees in the Public and Civil Services (Cuepacs) on various issues affecting them including salaries, promotions and allowances, Abdullah Sani said.

"This is not only for us in Perak but all other drivers throughout the country," he said.

Promising to look into the matter, Nizar said the state government was aware of certain civil servants in the state being sidelined and was working towards rectifying it.

"I know of good workers who are not confirmed in their employment. Their contracts are merely renewed on a year-to-year basis.

"Then, there are those who deserve to get achievement or excellence awards but do not. Instead, these awards go to those who do not deserve them," he said.

On another matter, Nizar stressed that letters sent out to Kemas preschools were only to have them to hand over keys to the premises and not to deny them from using the place.

As for Sungai Rapat Barisan Nasional assemblyman Hamidah Osman's demand for letters from the state government as a guarantee that the preschools could continue using the premises, he said:

"It is not necessary because there was no directive to stop them in the first place. That should be understood from an intellectual and administrative standpoint."

Nizar said the entire Kemas pre-school fiasco had been a campaign aimed at smearing the name of the Pakatan Rakyat-led state government.

"The people know it's not true, let the people evaluate for themselves," he said.

Bid to attract more specialists in public hospitals

The Star

KUALA TERENGGANU: Public hospital specialists have been receiving an allowance increment of between RM300 and RM700 per month since Jan 1.

The Government is hoping the move will be able to attract more specialists to continue serving in public hospitals.

Health Minister Datuk Liow Tiong Lai said the allowance revision was based on the heavy load and responsibilities of the specialists.

“Furthermore, allowances for specialists have not been reviewed for the past 19 years,” he told reporters after opening a health programme yesterday.

Liow said more than 4,000 specialists working in the public hospitals would benefit from the increment. For example, specialists in grade 41 would have their allowance increased from RM1,300 to RM1,600 per month.

For those in grade 53 and 54, their allowances would be increased from RM2,200 to RM2,800.

Specialists in the “Utama” category, would be getting RM700 extra every month from RM2,400 to RM3,100.

Liow said the ministry also agreed to increase the on-call as well as location and hardship allowance (Elaun Lokasi Megikut Tahap Kesusa­han).

“It is pending the approval from the Public Services Department. The Government is concerned with the responsibility and difficulties faced by the medical officers who are on-call duty after working hours, or during public holidays, as well as those posted to rural areas,” he said.

He said the ministry also had increased the per flight allowance of nurses in Sabah and Sarawak.

Before the increment, the nurses would get about RM10 to RM15 per flight according to their grades. Now, it is RM30 per flight.

“We think it is only fair to give them the same allowance as the doctors as they are also giving the professional services to the people.”

08 January 2009

Skim KWSP atau pilih pencen

Tahun 2009 mungkin dianggap sebagai tahun yang membawa kesejahteraan dan rahmat kepada 1.2 juta kakitangan kerajaan serta pesara kerajaan kerana menerima banyak faedah daripada kerajaan.

Sebagai tanda kesyukuran, kakitangan yang menerima pelbagai faedah itu sewajarnya mengucapkan terima kasih kepada kerajaan atas keprihatinan menjaga kebajikan pekerja yang merupakan tulang belakang kepada pentadbiran negara.

Pada masa yang sama kakitangan kerajaan tidak harus melupakan usaha berterusan Kongres Kesatuan Pekerja-pekerja Dalam Perkhidmatan Awam (CUEPACS) yang tanpa jemu memperjuangkan hak dan kebajikan kakitangan awam bagi menampung kehidupan semasa dan waktu persaraan kelak.

Oleh itu, sangat wajar penghargaan dan ucapan terima kasih diberi kepada CUEPACS atas usaha murni yang dilakukan itu.

Semasa memberi taklimat kepada kakitangan awam di Universiti Kebangsaan Malaysia (UKM), Bangi pada 6 Januari lalu, Presiden CUEPACS, Omar Osman menjelaskan banyak perkara yang diperjuangkan oleh Kongres telah ditunaikan oleh kerajaan dan menganggap apa yang diberikan itu sebagai sesuatu di luar jangkaan.

Ini termasuk tawaran opsyen semula kepada anggota yang telah memilih skim Kumpulan Wang Simpanan Pekerja (KWSP) dan pemberian Ex-Gratia terbitan sekali gus kepada ibu atau bapa anggota berpencen yang meninggal dunia semasa dalam perkhidmatan yang belum berkahwin.

Selain itu, peningkatan maksimum cuti rehat dan cuti rehat khas yang boleh dikumpul untuk pemberian wang tunai sebagai gantian cuti rehat kepada 150 hari serta, tawaran opsyen pelanjutan umur persaraan wajib kepada 58 tahun.

Salah satu yang menarik untuk diperkatakan ialah tawaran opsyen semula kepada anggota yang telah memilih Skim KWSP oleh kerajaan kepada kakitangannya.

Statistik Bahagian Pasca Perkhidmatan, Jabatan Perkhidmatan Awam (JPA) menunjukkan setakat ini sebanyak 66,703 penjawat awam termasuk polis berada dalam skim KWSP.

Walaupun jumlahnya hanya 5.55 peratus daripada keseluruhan kakitangan awam, tetapi tawaran itu boleh dianggap sebagai sangat tepat memandangkan banyak penambahbaikan dilakukan terhadap skim pencen yang dilihat memberi kelebihan kepada mereka yang memilih skim pencen.

Semasa memberi taklimat, Omar begitu bersemangat mendorong kakitangan awam yang hadir memilih semula skim pencen itu. Ini kerana tidak ada lagi peluang keemasan seperti ini selepas ini.

Menurut Omar, apa yang diperjuangkan oleh CUEPACS selama ini perlu direbut supaya waktu persaraan nanti mereka dapat hidup bahagia bersama keluarga. Ini kerana beliau tidak mahu nanti ada pesara yang bekerja sebagai jaga, pemandu teksi dan lain-lain pekerjaan sambilan semata-mata kerana mahu menampung hidup selepas bersara akibat memilih KWSP yang tiada pencen bulanan.

Majlis taklimat JPA Bersama CUEPACS itu dihadiri oleh Pengarah, Bahagian Pasca Perkhidmatan, JPA Datuk Yeow Chin Kiong. Beliau turut memberi taklimat secara panjang lebar mengenai tawaran semula skim pencen kepada kakitangan yang memilih skim KWSP serta mengendalikan sesi soal jawab daripada kakitangan yang hadir.

Menurut CUEPACS, kakitangan kerajaan di bawah skim KWSP tidak mendapat tiga perkara seperti yang dinikmati oleh rakan mereka dalam skim pencen iaitu kad persaraan, kemudahan perubatan selepas bersara dan gratuiti iaitu gajaran dalam bentuk wang tunai.

Pujian harus diberikan kepada Bahagian Pasca Perkhidmatan, JPA yang diketuai Yeow kerana telah mengambil inisiatif mengadakan roadshow ke seluruh negara untuk memberi taklimat mengenai penawaran opsyen itu.

Berdasarkan maklumat dalam laman web bahagian itu, sebanyak 15 tempat dipilih dan dimulakan di UKM Bangi pada 6 Januari lalu dan Universiti Putra Malaysia (UPM), Serdang pada hari yang sama.

Semasa memberi taklimat, Omar menyeru kepada kakitangan awam supaya menjadikan tahun 2009 ini sebagai tahun penjenamaan semula perkhidmatan awam melalui penambahbaikan supaya lebih produktif dan efisien.

Pekerja harus bekerja dengan lebih gigih dan bersemangat supaya perkhidmatan yang diberikan itu memberi kepuasan kepada pelanggan.

Malah beliau mahukan supaya pada tahun ini segala rungutan dan aduan daripada masyarakat mengenai perkhidmatan awam melalui Biro Pengaduan Awam dapat mencapai apa yang dikatakan sebagai 'sifar' rungutan dan aduan.

Menurut Omar, ini semua semata-mata untuk menunjukkan kepada kerajaan bahawa kakitangan awam benar-benar berterima kasih atas banyak penambahbaikan yang dilakukan terhadap skim perkhidmatan awam.

Peluang

Perkembangan yang berlaku menunjukkan kerajaan telah memberi peluang kedua kepada kakitangan skim KWSP untuk membuat pilihan. Mereka mempunyai tempoh masa selama sebulan iaitu sehingga 31 Januari ini untuk mengisi borang opsyen ke skim pencen.

Gunakanlah masa yang ada itu untuk membuat keputusan yang tepat dan betul. Ini kerana sebarang keputusan yang dibuat bakal mempengaruhi dan mencorak masa hadapan kakitangan sendiri, isteri atau isteri-isteri, suami, serta anak-anak semasa sedang berkhidmat dan masa persaraan kelak.

Persoalannya, adakah wang yang dikumpul dalam KWSP yang diterima sekali gus itu mempunyai nilai yang sama pada waktu persaraan kelak? Bagaimana pula dengan bayaran perubatan terutama bagi yang menghidap penyakit kritikal yang didapati semakin mahal? Mahukah meninggalkan orang yang tersayang tanpa adanya jaminan wang bulanan untuk meneruskan kehidupan mereka? Maka, mungkin skim pencen adalah jawapan kepada persoalan-persoalan di atas.

Ingatlah, tidak ada lagi peluang ketiga selepas ini.

PENSIONS FOR CIVIL SERVANTS: As in EPF, it must be paid

I REFER to your report "Close watch on policemen who switch schemes" (NST, Jan 4) which quoted Post-Service Division director Datuk Yeow Chin Kiong as saying that a civil servant, on being dismissed from service, would lose his right to a pension.

He went on to say that an employee's provident fund kept in the EPF is like private property. In my opinion, the pension is also like private property and pensionable officers should be paid their pension even if they had been dismissed from service.

At present, Section 9 of the Pension Act 1980 implies that if a pensionable officer is dismissed from service, there will be no grant of pension. And by virtue of Section 21 of the act, the right to one's pension ceases upon conviction.

In my opinion, both sections are inconsistent with the Federal Constitution. I think the Post-Service director and Public Service Department (PSD) have all these years been wrong in withholding the monthly pension of pensionable public service officers who had been dismissed from service. The pensions are nothing more than an officer's "deferred pay" and, to use the words of the Post-Service director, is private property.

I think neither the Post-Service director nor the PSD has fully understood the legal implication of the "pension" scheme as enshrined in the Federal Constitution. They work on the wrong premise that a "pension" is a privilege granted upon a pensionable officer's retirement. This is clearly constitutionally wrong.
Article 147 and Article 160(2) of the Constitution talk about "pension rights". And Article 160(2) defines "pension rights" as including "superannuation rights" and "provident fund rights". Thus, the monthly pension that pensioners receive is in fact their "superannuation rights". Therefore, if the "provident fund rights" which is kept in the EPF is considered private property, so is the "superannuation rights".

Article 160(2) of the Constitution also defines an officer's remuneration as including salary or wages, allowances, pension rights, free or subsidised housing, free or subsidised transport and other privileges capable of being valued in money. This clearly shows that the remuneration of public service officers includes a pension element which, like the employee's provident fund, is kept by the government in the Federal Consolidated Fund to be paid later during the officer's old age. Unlike the EPF, this pension element which is kept aside by the government is not seen or known by the officer.

Here, I would like to quote former Cuepacs president A. Ragunathan, who has been involved in numerous salary negotiations of public service officers. In a letter published in the New Straits Times on May 9, 2006, he wrote: "...a payment of pension is considered deferred pay... the salary structure of public employees is based on the main principle 'rate for the job'. In determining the rate, the pension element or its cost is set aside during an employee's working span so that when he retires, what he would have accumulated as 'deferred pay' can be used to look after him in his old age."

Therefore, isn't the pension scheme, which includes the officer's "superannuation rights", similar to the provident fund scheme, where the government tops up the salary of the officer by 11 per cent and keeps it aside in the EPF? The only difference is in the method of payment; one monthly and the other in a lump sum. This proves that the pension element, which forms part of the officer's remuneration and is kept aside by the government, in law and in fact belongs to the officer concerned. It is also private property.

A pensionable officer is, therefore, entitled to his "superannuation rights" irrespective of whether he has retired or had been dismissed from service. A dismissed employee, however, might not be granted his gratuity or other benefits and privileges.

The failure of the Post-Service Division and the PSD to fully comprehend the term "pension rights" has led to them offering those who had opted for the EPF scheme to switch to the pension scheme.

By right, a permanent officer is categorised into two groups. One group is for those who opt for the "superannuation rights and provident fund rights" where, upon retirement, they will be paid a monthly pension plus whatever monies have been kept in the EPF. The other is for those who opt only for the "provident fund rights" scheme, where they keep aside eight per cent of their salary plus the government's contribution of 11 per cent in the EPF.

Both categories of officers, being permanent officers, should be entitled to all the privileges and benefits that are accorded to any retired permanent officer. If this is done, there is no need for this "switching" option. It surprises me to find that a permanent officer who opts for a "provident fund rights" scheme of service is denied free medical service upon retirement.

The belief among many heads of department that a dismissed pensionable officer would lose his right to a pension has led to many heads of department taking disciplinary action with a view to dismissing officers they dislike. Perhaps the Post-Service director should also keep a close watch on these heads of department.

And lastly, for those pensionable officers who have been dismissed from service and whose "superannuation rights" have been withheld, perhaps this is the right time for them to write to the Post-Service director requesting that they be paid their monthly pension.