‘ENSURE WELFARE OF ALL WORKERS’
Offer Socso to permanent, contract staff, urges MTUC
CONTRIBUTING to Social Security Organisation (Socso) for all permanent and contract government staff, restudying the distribution of 1Malaysia People’s Aid (BR1M) and looking into the issue of the Goods and Services Tax (GST) are the three areas the government has been urged to consider in the upcoming Budget 2018.
These are among the main proposals submitted by the Malaysian Trades Union Congress to ensure that the welfare of Malaysian citizens remains secure.
Its president, Abdul Halim Mansor, has urged the government to work with Socso in providing mechanisms for contributors to earn medical security and benefits, and not to burden the civil servants with medical bills.
“I believe Socso is the most reliable organisation for citizens in ensuring their security, and government should work closely with Socso to reflect their responsiblity.
“Most of the permanent and contract government workers from the low income group are burdened by medical bills.
“That is why Socso should be the main source of medical security for workers to get treatment and get back to work.
“Socso has its own rehabilitation centre for its contributors, for example, the Tun Razak Rehabilitation Centre in Melaka,” said Halim, who is a Socso board member.
“I urge Prime Minister Datuk Seri Najib Razak to consider Socso security rather than rely on private insurance or giving BR1M allowances.”
He hoped that the next of kin of a Socso contributor could also benefit from this insurance, as low as 50 per cent and as high as 80 per cent, in case of loss of life or injury due to accidents.
On GST, Halim urged the government to review the income tax deduction and implement the income tax rebate mechanism for private workers who stayed in urban and rural areas.
Federation of Malaysian Consumers Associations secretary-general Datuk Paul Selvaraj said the government must look into making healthcare more affordable.
“We are short of medical help and we need the backup from private hospitals. However, the cost of treatment at private hospitals is too expensive.
“The government also needs to spend more on public hospitals to make them more efficient,” Selvaraj said.