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More than 1.3 million civil servants who expected the government would again
announce a bonus for them as had been the case in previous budgets, had waited
in anxiety hoping Prime Minister Datuk Seri Abdullah Ahmad Badawi would announce
a bonus, at the least of a half month’s salary.
<p>However, Abdullah did not mention anything about a bonus for civil servants
when tabling the 2008 Budget but touched on the government’s move to raise their
income, including increasing the Cost of Living Allowance (Cola) from RM150
to RM300.</p>
<p>Cuepacs president Omar Osman said the congress would write to the Prime Minister
to consider giving a bonus or alternately a RM2,000 honorarium to each government
employee irrespective of the grade.</p>
<p>"Of course, we won’t pressure the government in this matter (bonus)…but
we are really hoping the government will consider giving an honorarium in appreciation
of civil servants’ contribution in conjunction with Malaysia’s 50th independence
anniversary," he told Bernama when contacted here today.</p>
<p>Yearly bonus payments for civil servants started in 1993 when the 850,000 odd
government employees then received a month’s pay or a minimum of RM400, and
had continued annually thereafter.</p>
<p>In the 2000 Budget, although civil servants had been given a pay hike of 10
per cent that year, the government continued with the tradition, announcing
a month’s salary as bonus with the minimum set at RM1,000.</p>
<p>Omar said that during the time of Tun Dr Mahathir Mohamad as prime minister,
there was no provision for bonus in the 1999 Budget but after Cuepacs appealed,
civil servants were given such a payment although the quantum was lower.</p>
<p>Following the appeal by Cuepacs that year, the government, which was faced
with a deficit then, announced special aid for all civil servants amounting
to RM400 each except for those in the top posts in the public sector.</p>
<p>Omar further said that Cuepacs not only appreciated the civil servants pay
hike made in July, but also the various incentives under the 2008 Budget like
the extension of the School Text Book Loan Scheme to all primary and secondary
schoolgoers irrespective of the parents income as well as the abolisment of
school fees, as these would be of great help to civil servants, particularly
those in the lower income group.</p>
<p>"We are very grateful for these and thank the government for it. We are
also flexible, if the government deems paying bonus is a big burden, we hope
civil servants will at least be given honorarium," he said, adding that
this would go a long way in helping them in their expenses for celebrations
like Hari Raya, Deepavali and Christmas as well as in making preparations for
their children’s schooling at the end of the year.</p>
<p>He said that this was the first time Cuepacs was asking the government to consider
an honorarium, as it would help lighten civil servants year end burdens.</p>
<p>Asked why Cuepacs set the amount of RM2,000 for each employee, Omar said the
congress felt the government would find it affordable for the whole spectrum
of the civil service.</p>
<p>Meanwhile, Malaysian Trade Unions Congrees (MTUC) president Syed Shahir Syed
Mohamud in supporting Cuepacs call to the government to consider paying the
bonus or honorarium, said the money was important for civil servants, especially
for expenses in preparing their children for school next year.</p>
<p>The Pahang Chinese Chamber of Commerce and Industry was of the view that the
awarding of bonus for civil servants would further spur the economy as more
disposable cash would be made available for spending.</p>
<p>Its president, Datuk Seri Lim Sing (Rpt: Lim Sing) said the absence of the
announcement of the bonus was unexpected and that government should reconsider
its decision.</p>
<p>A government employee who wished to be known only as Hamid, hoped the government
would reconsider the payment of bonus or other appropriate cash incentives because
the cost of goods and services had shot up.</p>
<p>"We have to remember, Hari Raya is coming and after that and more importantly
expenditure for children’s schooling next year. Buying uniforms, shoes, bags,
books and stationery is very costly now," said Hamid, who has been in the
civil service for 25 years.</p>
<p>Another government employee who wished to be identified as Azaliza, 28, said
she had high hopes for the bonus as she is the sole breadwinner in the family
and needed to support her schoolgoing siblings apart from the Hari Raya expenses.</p>
<p>– BERNAMA</p>
<p><i>Source: http://www.bernama.com.my/bernama/v3/news.php?id=283824</i>
Address: Wisma MTUC,10-5, Jalan USJ 9/5T, 47620 Subang Jaya,Selangor | Tel: 03-80242953 | Fax: 03-80243225 | Email: sgmtuc@gmail.com.com