Sunday, March 11, 2012

Ensure no one loses out, Cuepacs tells Govt

KUALA LUMPUR: Cuepacs wants the Government to ensure that several categories of civil servants will not be adversely affected with the abolition of the Public Service New Remuneration Scheme (SBPA).

Its president Datuk Omar Osman said technicians, forest rangers, agricultural assistants and veterinary assistants may be at the losing end when the Malaysian Remuneration System (SSM) comes into effect.

“The Government had agreed in principle to upgrade these designations from G17 to G27 under the SBPA. These designations should not remain under G17,'' he told a press conference here yesterday.

He said 45,000 technicians in the civil service were represented by the Malaysian Technical Services Union, while over 20,000 civil servants serve as forest rangers, agricultural assistants and veterinary assistants.

Omar also said the Government should recognise skilled workers with Form Two or Standard Six qualifications and upgrade their status equivalent to those with the Penilaian Menengah Rendah (PMR) qualification.

They include drivers, office assistants and general workers.

He said Cuepacs would meet the Chief Secretary to the Government next week on the requests.

The abolition of the SBPA and salary adjustments for civil servants, ranging from 7% to 13%, was announced by Prime Minister Datuk Seri Najib Tun Razak on Thursday.

Meanwhile, MCA Young Professionals Bureau chairman Datuk Chua Tee Yong said the Government should protect workers' welfare and ensure businesses were able to sustain the change when the minimum wage policy is implemented.

He also questioned the need for a standard minimum wage for the rural and urban areas as the cost of living varies between the two areas.

“Wage earners in small towns and rural areas may feel satisfied with a RM900 minimum wage, but what about those in urban areas?” he said in a statement yesterday.

Chua also said the Government should also reveal whether the minimum wage includes allowances and incentives.

-thestar/maa.

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