MIC Youth: Publish names of PSD scholarship students

The Star

KUALA LUMPUR: MIC Youth has urged the Public Service Department (PSD) to publish the names of students who were being given scholarships to ensure transparency.

Youth chief S.A. Vigneswaran claimed there were complaints that PSD scholarships were being given to students whose parents had “connections” with politicians or who were wealthy.

“The PSD should publish the names of the students as well as the parents, so that there is transparency in the awarding of scholarships,” he said on Monday, adding that students from poor families should be given priority.

PSD moves to recover loans

The Star

BY SARBAN SINGH

SEREMBAN: The Public Service Department (PSD) wants all ministries and department heads to submit the names of employees who have taken study loans from the Government.

This is because many have not repaid their loans despite having been employed for several years now.

PSD director-general Tan Sri Ismail Adam said the details of the borrowers, including their place of work, should be submitted by April 7.

“We need to get defaulters to pay up so that others can benefit. Our records show that many loan recipients have either not been paying up regularly or have stopped paying despite the reminders and notices sent,” he said in an interview.

The directive was sent to all ministry secretaries-general and state secretaries on March 13.

It is learnt that some defaulters had not paid a single sen despite having graduated more than 10 years ago. Those who studied abroad were given interest-free loans amounting to RM300,000 but had somehow dodged legal action.

Ismail said the PSD began making deductions from the salaries of its own employees who had defaulted beginning last year and this has helped increase the recovery process.

“Now we want all ministries, government departments and state agencies to help us collect our dues,” he said.

The Government, irked by the attitude of several thousand borrowers who refused to service their loans, had in July last year issued an order that they would not be considered for promotion.

These included those blacklisted by National Higher Education Fund Corp (PTPTN), Mara and other government-linked corporations. However, the response was still poor.

A source said warnings that the 75% discount on the entire loan given to those who scored second-class upper degrees and above would be rescinded had also failed to get them to start paying up.

It is learnt that the defaulters owed the Government more than RM1bil. As of March last year, 438,775 owed the PTPTN some RM920mil.

Since it was established in 1997, the PTPTN has given out RM12.6bil in loans to students for diploma and degree courses.

As for the PSD, about 15,000 borrowers owed it some RM300mil. The amount owed to Mara was RM200mil.

PSD gave out RM3.03bil in study loans to some 145,000 students from 1987 to 2004.

The Higher Education Ministry has identified 40,573 borrowers who are working in government agencies or government-linked companies, who had taken loans from PTPTN.

'Optional retirement a privilege, not a right'

NSTP

Q: Some civil servants are said to have been given preferential treatment when they applied for optional retirement while others were rejected without a valid reason. How does a civil servant get to go on optional retirement?

A: All civil servants are allowed to apply for optional retirement at the age of 40, subject to the recommendation of his head of department.

However, for certain services, departmental heads must look into additional considerations.

For doctors and nurses, who are classified under critical services, the optional retirement age is 47.
(Those under critical services are mostly from the health service, where there is a shortage of doctors and specialists. There is no specific list and may include any civil servant who is a specialist in a particular field not easily replaced).

However, optional retirement is a privilege and not a right. It is up to the discretion of the government to decide.

I must emphasis that there is no discrimination and the departmental head will decide based on certain criteria.

It will be based on how critical the person (who has asked for optional retirement) is to the department, can the department find a suitable replacement, etc.

All applications will be given due consideration. Of course, the reason the person has asked for optional retirement will also be taken into account.

Q: It has been reported that the PSD is expected to issue a directive not to consider promotions for study loan defaulters who are serving in the civil service. Has this been done?

A: We have begun to do this. Defaulters are considered as employees who go against the basic ethics of employment and it is only fair that they are not considered for promotions.

Not paying their loans is equivalent to a breach of trust. You must pay what you owe. They must understand that we need the money to roll.

If they do not repay their loans, the fund gets depleted and this is not fair to others who need the money. We cannot let these defaulters deprive other deserving applicants.

Q: On unpaid PSD loans, what is the amount owing and what are the steps initiated by the PSD to recover this amount?

A: I don't have the figures at this point, but I can assure you that the number of defaulters has decreased. We are flexible. We understand that many face financial difficulties and are unable to pay the scheduled amounts.

We are reasonable as long as they pay. They can pay us online or through their banks.

We are also prepared to re-negotiate the terms to make it easier for them to pay.

Q: There were reports that there were about 100,000 vacancies in the civil service which are yet to be filled. What is the present status of these vacancies?

A: There are vacancies in the government which need to be filled.

This is an ongoing process and interviews are frequently held to fill up these vacancies.

However, the problem is that sometimes candidates who come for interviews are not well prepared.

That is why they do not make it through and when we cannot find a suitable candidate, the position remains vacant.

Some vacancies are only filled through promotions and this depends on whether there are suitable candidates.

Candidates who are called for interviews should make an attempt to prepare themselves and not take these interviews lightly.

There is always good response for jobs in the civil service and those called for interviews must appreciate this opportunity and do their best.

Q: The PSD has said that the retirement age for employees in the public sector may be further extended (retirement age has been extended by a year to 56). Is there any development on this?

A: We have done our study and submitted our recommendation to the prime minister. He has yet to inform us of his decision.

Q: Is there any truth to claims that many civil servants take up part-time jobs to supplement their income? What is the PSD's stand on this?

A: Civil servants should not take up part-time jobs. This is very clear. Especially now with the salary revision, we do not see why they should want to take up part-time jobs.

There is a ruling that if any civil servant wants to work part-time, he or she must get permission from the head of department.

The head must take into account whether there would be a conflict of interest and whether the civil servant would be able to cope.

Q: Do you have any message for civil servants out there?

A: My message is simple -- do your best and together we can make the country a better place to live in.

Employees of statutory bodies can now head them

The Star

SEREMBAN: Employees in statutory bodies like the Employees Provident Fund (EPF) and the Social Security Organisation (Socso) can now be appointed as chief executives of the same agency, said Public Service director-general Tan Sri Ismail Adam.

Previously, deputy chief executives in these bodies could not be promoted permanently to the post.

“We want to improve the method of filling the post of the chief executive. From now on, we will allow employees in the same organisation to be promoted,” Ismail said in a circular.

Some of the bigger statutory bodies in the country include the EPF, Socso, the Pilgrims Management Fund Board, Mara, Armed Forces Superannuation Fund and Bank Simpanan Nasional.

The ruling takes effect immediately.

Ismail said previously, there were three ways to fill the top post in the statutory bodies. These were:

·Officers from the same agency were allowed to fill the post but on a temporary basis;

·Officers from other government agencies were sent on attachment; and

·Government retirees or individuals from the private sector were offered the post on a contract basis.

“But those promoted from the same agency now must fulfil the necessary requirements to be considered.

“If the individual has yet to fill certain conditions for promotion, he or she can still fill the post on an acting basis,” he said.

There are 75 federal and 110 state statutory bodies, employing 94,623 and 14,195 people respectively.

PSD should have control over VSS exercise

The Star

COMMENT BY V.K.CHIN

Government servants should get used to the idea that nobody owes them a living. If they wish to be paid for their services, they would have to work for it.

This is the case in both the private and public sectors. Comm-ercial enterprises will not tolerate anyone not prepared to contribute to the success of their operations.

Without making a profit, shareholders will have to make a tough decision either to reduce workers or close shop. Therefore, those who cannot perform will be fired.

With the Voluntary Separation Scheme (VSS) proposal, the Government has realised that it is time it took action to address the issue of under-performing staff or those with severe disciplinary problems.

Those with a bad attitude will not only be unproductive but could have a negative effect on their colleagues’ performance, too.

Presently, such workers are merely barred from promotion but this situation cannot continue as their presence could create a distraction to others.

Something more drastic is called for to get them out of the way. The presence of such destructive elements could affect morale and productivity in the section or department.

While VSS makes sense, implementing it may be a bit tricky. First, these unhelpful workers will have to be reported before the Public Service Department (PSD) can act. But the question is: How many are prepared to be the bad guys?

They may not like to have such people in their midst, but are they prepared to be responsible for getting someone dismissed? Since civil servants tend to stick together, they may be prepared to live with the shortcomings of such colleagues.

Therefore, if no reports are made, no action can be taken. The PSD can only act if the bad behaviour is out in the open, such as complaints by members of the public especially in the media.

If the Government is keen to jettison such misfits, perhaps it should not refer to the VSS scheme as voluntary but selective. In this way, it will have some control over the exercise.

Otherwise, they might refuse to bite since the scheme was voluntary. The objective is to reject the bad apples and retain the good. It will be disastrous if the good ones should use the scheme to leave while the deadwood will still be around.

This will only make things worse. Sometimes, it may not be necessary to take any action at all. For example, if civil servants know that they can be dismissed if they don't perform, this may change their attitude.

An example is in the disciplining of children. The father only needs to have a cane in the house and the children will know that if they misbehaved they will be punished. The threat alone is sufficient deterrence.

While the public may welcome the latest move to deal with civil servants, it is also hoped that there would be no discrimination or witch-hunting in implementing this mechanism.

No promotion for defaulters

The Star

By SARBAN SINGH

SEREMBAN: Hardcore study loan defaulters serving in civil service will not be considered for promotions.

This means those blacklisted by the Public Service Department, National Higher Education Fund Corp (PTPTN), Mara and other government-linked corporations will not be promoted until they settle their loans.

The PSD is expected to issue a directive to this effect this week.

A PSD official said the measure was necessary as study loan defaulters were still refusing to pay up despite repeated reminders.

“We decided that they should be severely punished for ignoring our reminders and notices,” the official said.

It is learnt that the defaulters owed the Government more than RM1bil. As of March, 438,775 owed the PTPTN some RM920mil.

Since it was established in 1997, the PTPTN has given out RM12.6bil in loans to students for diploma and degree courses.

The Higher Education Ministry has identified 40,573 borrowers who are working in government agencies or government-linked companies, who had taken loans from PTPTN.

As for the PSD, close to 15,000 borrowers owed it some RM300mil as of March. The amount owed to Mara was RM200mil.

“We need to get these people to pay up so that others could benefit from the study loans as well,” said the PSD source.

The PSD had given out RM3.03bil in study loans to some 145,000 students from 1987 to 2004.

Errant civil servants face promotion bar of up to four years

The Star

SEREMBAN: Civil servants who have been demoted due to disciplinary reasons cannot be considered for a promotion for four years.

Those who had their salaries reduced for breaching employment rules will also not be in the promotions list for three years.

The Public Service Department, in efforts to check indiscipline, said those penalised for absenteeism would also not be entitled for a promotion for 18 months.

“We want to safeguard the image of the civil service. This is also to ensure government employees ad-here to all rules and procedures,” it said in a circular.

The PSD said civil servants who were fined for dereliction of duty would also be blacklisted for a year.

Over the past five years, 2,918 government employees have been sacked for various offences and 4,527 given warnings.

The PSD said from 2002 to 2006, disciplinary action was taken against 10,438 federal employees.

Last year alone, 2,955 cases were registered compared with 2,724 in 2005 and 1,804 in 2004.

During the same five-year period, similar action was taken against 7,390 police and 4,819 army personnel.

“We have fine-tuned some of the regulations to ensure government employees understand these laws.

“Department heads have also been reminded to monitor their subordinates and issue them warnings if they do not toe the line.”

The PSD said Chief Secretary to the Government Tan Sri Mohamed Sidek Hassan, in a recent meeting with all ministry secretaries-general, had agreed that disciplinary cases referred by the Anti-Corruption Agency must be resolved within six months.

The PSD said counsellors had also been sent to ministries and departments to help problematic employees.

“To date, we have 6,000 counsellors trained to handle such situations,” it said, adding that disciplinary action would only be taken if offenders persisted in their errant ways.

Varsities can hire retirees

The Star

By SARBAN SINGH

SEREMBAN: Public universities can now hire government retirees as lecturers on contract for one to three years but the retirees cannot be above 65 years old.

Public Service Department (PSD) Director-General Tan Sri Ismail Adam said this was part of efforts to enhance the public delivery system.

»This privilege can be withdrawn any time« TAN SRI ISMAIL ADAM

“With this decision, the managements can now decide to appoint retirees as lecturers in public universities as well as in UiTM or as medical or dentistry lecturers,” he said.

Prior to this, retirees in the top management group who wished to be hired as lecturers on a contract basis had to be approved by the Prime Minister.

Those in the management and professional group would have their contract offers decided by the Chief Secretary to the Government, while the PSD director-general was authorised to extend the contract for lecturers in Grade 45 and below.

There are 20 public universities in the country.

Ismail said the managements of all public universities should adhere to the rules before appointing the retirees. These were:

• that the university management could not get serving lecturers to fill the posts;

• those appointed should have completed their service until their mandatory retirement age;

• appointees were medically certified fit;

• they had clean service records and no criminal record;

• they adhered to provisions under the Official Secrets Act and agreed to sign the Aku Janji (I Pledge) document;

• they had sufficient experience/expertise as required by the university; and

• they be employed on the same salary grade but a step lower or higher depending on whether he fulfilled the criteria set by the university.

“The salary should be based on the last drawn salary and not on pension adjustments announced by the Government after the individual retired,” he said.

Those who had obtained foreign citizenship or had opted for earlier retirement were not eligible.

“Individuals who left government service following the corporatisation or privatisation of the departments where they were employed earlier would also not be considered,” he said.

Ismail said the PSD would conduct regular checks on the universities to ensure they complied with the conditions on the employment of these lecturers.

“This privilege can be withdrawn any time if we discover irregularities,” he added.

Sufficient appraisal guidelines given, says dept

NST

PUTRAJAYA, Mon:

The guidelines in the annual appraisal forms for civil servants are sufficient to help appraisers give objective assessment, the Public Service Department corporate and communication head, Hasniah Rashid, said yesterday.

She said the appraisals took into account many aspects, such as the employees’ annual work targets and output, leadership qualities, their personality and contributions to society.

It is up to the appraisers to evaluate their achievements.

Negri Sembilan Menteri Besar Datuk Seri Mohamad Hasan has cast doubts on the state’s civil service annual appraisal exercise, noting that some employees had obtained almost perfect scores.

He said while he was proud of the high achievers, the appraisal should be done in such a manner that no one could question the results.
Negri Sembilan state secretary Datuk Kamarudin Siaraf reminded heads of departments to appraise their staff according to merit and not to show favouritism.

Hasniah said civil servants, from the support group up to the highest level of management, were being evaluated using the same form.

"The bulk of the marks for the management and professional level is made up of their leadership qualities, like whether they can lead the department well," she said.

100,000 jobs waiting to be filled in civil service

NST

PUTRAJAYA:There are about 100,000 job vacancies in the country’s civil service, with health and education sectors offering the most openings.
Public Service Department (PSD) director-general Tan Sri Ismail Adam said the situation arose because the government was in dire need of doctors, dentists, pharmacists and teachers.

"Some vacancies happen because they can only be filled through promotions. If there’re no eligible candidates, then they stay vacant until suitable candidates are promoted," he said here yesterday.

He was responding to DAP’s allegations that the PSD had created more vacancies just to provide jobs for over 60,000 unemployed graduates in the country.

"That’s not a fair statement. We take in civil servants based on their expertise, skills, knowledge and several other factors. Each service commission has its own stringent process to screen potential employees," Ismail said.
"And we’ve at no time received any instruction from the government of the day to create more vacancies just to give unemployed graduates jobs."

Ismail said that although some argued that automation would enable the government to slash the number of its employees, which currently stands at over a million, some sectors could not run on automation alone.

"Those in the health and education sectors can’t be automated. We can probably reduce a bit in the administrative area but not more than that.

"If we want good service with fewer people providing the service, to me it’s going to be difficult," Ismail said.

On another note, he urged civil servants, who would enjoy a pay rise between 7.5 per cent and 35 per cent starting July, to work hard, smart and improve the quality of service whenever possible.

He said that although several parties had called for civil servants to work longer hours in tandem with the salary increase, "working long hours does not mean increased productivity".

Ismail also said that civil servants wishing to seek employment outside office hours or start a business to supplement their income should inform their respective heads of department.

"We allow them to work outside but there’s a limit to it. Make sure it doesn’t disrupt your duty at the office." — Bernama

PSD after officers who don’t pay loans

NST

PUTRAJAYA: Government officers who have not repaid loans taken from the National Higher Education Fund Corporation (PTPTN), beware.

The Public Service Department is waiting for the list of defaulters from the corporation.

"We have asked PTPTN for their full names. Heads of department have also been told to provide us with the list of officers, regardless of their positions, who still have not repaid a single sen of their loans although they have been in government service for years.

"We will not hesitate to take disciplinary action against these people," PSD corporate and communication head Hasniah Rashid told the New Straits Times yesterday.

PSD will start issuing reminders once the list of names has been received.
Hasniah said disciplinary action, including termination of service, could be taken against the defaulters as provided under the PSD’s conduct and discipline procedure.

She described government officers who defaulted on PTPTN loans as irresponsible and lacking in integrity.

"These people defy orders and they paint a bad image of the civil service."

The Higher Education Ministry, with the help of the National Registration Department, has identified more than 40,000 PTPTN borrowers who are working in government agencies or government-linked companies.

Of the total, about 30,000 have begun servicing their loans while nearly 400, who achieved excellent results, were exempted from repayment.

Deputy Higher Education Minister Datuk Ong Tee Keat had said that the remaining borrowers had not made any payment on their loans.

More than RM1.5 billion is due to PTPTN as of March 31.

Ong had said that after deducting the postponement of certain repayments and exemptions for those who excelled, as well as those who had become disabled or who had died, the amount due was RM1.38 billion from 438,775 borrowers.

However, PTPTN had only managed to collect RM460.76 million so far, which accounted for 33.45 per cent.

Civil servants should accept quantum

The Star

Comment: By V.K. CHIN

CIVIL servants should accept the quantum of their request for a salary revision when it is ready. They must also give the Government sufficient time to consider the recommendations of the Public Service Department (PSD).

While Cuepacs, the civil service unions' umbrella body, is hoping for a quick answer, it should realise that what it is asking for will have a huge impact on the public purse.

Prime Minister Datuk Seri Abdullah Ahmad Badawi, his Cabinet colleagues and PSD officials would also like to settle this as quickly as possible.

At the same time, they also have to act in a responsible manner, as serious financial implications are involved. If the results can be known this week, then good luck to them.

As the whole public service is affected, the public can rest assured that those in charge will work overtime when it comes to their own interests.

Otherwise, the civil servants will likely take their own sweet time when dealing with problems affecting members of the public. This is one of the major complaints against them. The public certainly would not like them to be rewarded financially for such tardy service.

There is little doubt that even government leaders, including Datuk Seri Abdullah Ahmad Badawi, are far from satisfied with the present delivery system by the public sector.

Therefore, the Government and the public expect that any such adjustments must be tied to higher productivity to a certain degree.

While performance and efficiency may be difficult to quantify, the best judge of this will be public reaction. If there is any improvement in services, customers will be the first to feel it.

Should there be fewer employees, it may be simpler for the Government to pay them better, provided they continue to ensure satisfactory service. With over a million of them, the situation will be magnified.

No one will grudge them more pay if they show greater commitment in their given tasks. At the same time, the PSD must instil in them the importance of multi-tasking.

This means they must be trained and prepared to help out in other areas outside of their own when necessary.

There is nothing more frustrating than for those seeking information or to pick up documents to be told that this was not possible because the person in charge was either off, on leave, or attending a course.

If workers are trained to work on any assignment in the section, then they could take over to clear the paperwork, and not upset the public who may have taken time off to collect their documents.

Therefore, it is not just a question of clearing all their files or just completing their daily quota but to help out if another colleague is absent for whatever reason.

They should not just stick to their own work even if there should be a shortage in personnel in another section.

For example, if there is a big crowd, then more counters should be opened, instead of just one or two because some of the frontline workers are on leave. The convenience of the public must always come first.

Prudence keyword in salary revision

COMMENT
By V. K. CHIN (The Star)

WHILE Prime Minister Datuk Seri Abdullah Ahmad Badawi has assured civil servants that they deserve a salary increase, the public can only hope that the Government will exercise prudence when considering Cuepacs’ request.

The Public Service Department (PSD) which has been given the task of working out the details, will need to look at both the short- and long-term impacts of a revision.

Cuepacs, the umbrella union for civil service unions, has asked for an increase of between 10% and 40%, with those at the lower tiers getting a higher figure. In any case, Cuepacs has gone on record that it does not expect its recommendations to be accepted in total.

This is a good sign as employees must be realistic and accept that the actual quantum will have to depend on the nation’s financial position. With over a million workers involved, it is not easy for any employer to raise wages without worrying about the financial implications.

Even an across the board 10% boost will cost the Government hundreds of millions annually. In good times, there will be money to meet this commitment. But it is the long-term impact that is of concern, since this will add considerably to the pension bill.

This can be so huge that it may be difficult for the Government to sustain such payments in future. Good times cannot last forever, and with globalisation we may be less competitive than other nations – such as China, India and even Vietnam – which are booming.

These are the new investment centres of foreign funds because of cheaper labour and other incentives being offered by their governments. This is a threat we cannot ignore, one that will adversely affect the manufacturing and industrial sectors.

Any salary adjustment in the public sector will have side effects on the rest of the country, too. Workers in the commercial world may wish to ask for higher pay and other perks.

The Government, therefore, must take all such concerns into account and come up with a suitable solution. After all, any pay increase will have to come from taxes, whether direct or indirect.

Instead of just a salary revision, the Government should also consider other incentives. It is better to have a reasonable salary, and when times are good workers could be rewarded with bonuses to share the goodies.

When times are not so good, such bonuses could be reduced or even stopped. In this way, workers will at least be assured of maintaining their pay. In really bad times, a pay cut and even retrenchment of staff may be necessary to keep the administration or company going.

A good formula to use in future pay revisions should be one based on performance. If Cuepacs should ask for a review a few years down the road, this should be based on the productivity of the workforce.

Cabinet briefing on pay rise ‘in next few weeks’

NST

PUTRAJAYA: The cabinet is expected to be briefed about the salary hike for civil servants within the next few weeks.

Among others, members of the cabinet are expected to discuss the quantum of increase based on recommendations made by the Public Service Department (PSD).

"The proposal will have to go through the normal procedures. A cabinet paper is being prepared to enable the ministers to discuss the matter before it is endorsed," said a source.

The source said Prime Minister Datuk Seri Abdullah Ahmad Badawi was likely to make an announcement on the matter soon.

Abdullah had announced on Monday that the time had come for a salary revision for the country’s 1.2 million civil servants.
The prime minister had said that civil servants in both the support and management categories deserved a pay rise.

Earlier this year, the Congress of Unions of Employees in the Public and Civil Service (Cuepacs) had proposed a pay increment of between 10 and 40 per cent.

The congress had proposed a rise of 40 per cent for support group II (Grades 1 to 16), which made up the lowest category of public employees, and an increase of 30 per cent for support group I (Grades 17 to 26 and Grades 27 to 40).

For the management and professional group (Grades 41 to 54), Cuepacs had proposed an increase of 20 per cent and for those in the premier grade, it had proposed a salary rise of 10 per cent.

PSD nod for 533 new posts

By NG CHENG YEE

chengyee@thestar.com.my

PETALING JAYA: The Public Service Department (PSD) has approved 533 new posts for the coordination work of one-stop centres (OSCs) for fast-track approval of housing projects.

Housing and Local Government Minister Datuk Seri Ong Ka Ting said the approval had been made by PSD early this month for the ministry to recruit town planners, technical assistants and supporting staff for the new centres.

He said the recruitment would be made based on the needs of local authorities.

There are 94 local authorities in the peninsula which will be setting up the OSCs and there will be a grace period of two months for those involved to prepare themselves before the operation of the OSCs starts in June.

“The ministry will also send over 40 town planners to some strategic local authorities where there is a lot of development going on,” he said at the 16th South-East Asian Geotechnical Conference 2007 here yesterday.

On April 13, Prime Minister Datuk Seri Abdullah Ahmad Badawi announced comprehensive changes to the property development sector, as part of his move to improve the public delivery system.

Among the initiatives announced were the setting-up of one-stop centres in every state for fast-track approvals for housing projects, replacing the Certificate of Fitness for Occupancy (CFO) with the Certificate of Completion and Compliance (CCC) and giving incentives to developers who adopt the Build-Then-Sell (BTS) concept.

Earlier in his speech, Ong said the setting up of the OSC required cooperation from all stakeholders including engineers to assume full responsibility for the tasks they are entrusted with.

Pay rise for 1.2mil civil servants

BERNAMA.

PRIME MINISTER Datuk Seri Abdullah Ahmad Badawi today announced that the 1.2 million civil servants in the country would be getting a pay rise because they deserve it.

The prime minister said the disparity in the salaries of high and low-ranking government employees would have to be taken into account in determining the pay hike formula.

He also said that the high cost of living had caused hardship to those in the lower income group.

“Government employees should get a pay increase but right now only (Public Service Department (PSD) Director-General) Tan Sri Ismail Adam knows the quantum,” he told the monthly assembly of staff in the Prime Minister’s Department here.

Abdullah said the government did not know what the recommendations of the PSD would be.
This is the first time that the government had given a definite “Yes"

to the question of a salary increase for civil servants as previously the response had been that the matter was being studied.

Engineers ready to help with maintenance

The Star

KUALA LUMPUR: There are 60,000 engineers who are ready and waiting to help solve the Government's woes in dealing with maintenance problems at its buildings and infrastructure.

Institute of Engineers Malaysia (IEM) president Datuk Keizrul Abdullah said that a proposal on better maintenance would be submitted to the Government within a month outlining the problems and coming up with suggestions on standard operating procedures.

He said that engineers would be able to aid as they were trained to “think” about maintenance, including in structure, electrical and telecommunications matters.

“We are prepared and offering the Government our help,” he told a press conference after attending the IEM open house.

To include the engineers in the process of maintenance, he said that those from the private sector could be enlisted as consultants while the Public Service Department (PSD) would have to have more posts created within the civil service for public sector engineers to allow this.

He urged PSD to make the necessary changes where engineers be made secretaries-general in ministries or hold higher posts and subsequently help solve maintenance problems.

PSD’s retire at 60 proposal awaiting Cabinet nod

By M. KRISHNAMOORTHY

The Star

KUALA LUMPUR: The Public Service Department (PSD) has recommended to the Cabinet that the retirement age for civil servants be increased from 56 to 60.

PSD director-general Tan Sri Ismail Adam said senior officials had deliberated on the extension for several years and forwarded its proposal to the Government recently.

“Conditions and the mechanism for the extension would be finalised after approval from the Cabinet,” he said yesterday.

Early this year, the Prime Minister said the Government would study the proposal by the Association of Administrative and Diplomatic Service and Cuepacs to extend the retirement age beyond 56.

Cuepacs president Omar Osman said civil servants were looking forward to the announcement of their retirement age extension at the national Workers' Day celebrations to be held on May 21.

“In our meeting with PSD officials last week, they informed us that the proposal had been submitted for approval.

“We are expecting Datuk Seri Abdullah Ahmad Badawi to make an official statement on the retirement age during the celebrations.”

“The Government has viewed the proposal positively and we hope it will extend the mandatory retirement age of civil servants to 60, which we have been requesting for sometime now,” he said.

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.