ALL REQUESTS MET, SAYS CUEPACS

Govt paying more attention to needs of female civil servants, says president

KUALA LUMPUR

THE 2018 Budget tabled by Prime Minister Datuk Seri Najib Razak yesterday is reflective of the nation’s future prosperity and its sustainability, said an organisation representing the majority of civil servants.

Congress of Unions of Employees in the Public Service (Cuepacs) president Datuk Azih Muda said the government, for the first time, had acceded to all the requests submitted by the congress, especially paying more attention to the needs of female civil servants.

He said this included increasing maternity leave entitlement from 300 days to 360 days, subject to a maximum of 90 days a year and allowing civil servants who were more than five months pregnant to knock off an hour early.

“This is good news to female civil servants,” he told the New Straits Times Press yesterday.

The 2018 Budget set out 12 specific items for the 1.6 million civil servants nationwide.

Azih also welcomed the government’s move to add another level of staggered working hour between 9am to 6pm.

“It gives more flexibility to young mothers with small children to organise their daily task,” he said.

Azih also lauded the minimum RM1,000 pension involving more than 50,000 retired civil servants with at least 25 years of service.

“This was the thing that pensioners most looked forward to. Najib has delivered all that we had asked,” he said.

Najib also announced benefits — that are similar to those who retired at compulsory age — for public servants who retired due to medical reasons. He also announced an extension of medical facilities to parents of retirees.

Cash Award in lieu of Accumulated Leave (GCR) of more than 150 days would also be allowed to be taken by the public servants during their retirement year.

Besides increasing special leave for education officers from seven to 10 days annually, the government provided unrecorded leaves for public servants up to seven days for Umrah purposes.

The government also provided a Flexible Working Hour plan, to be use once a week for Medical Specialists (Grade UD54 and above), who have served a minimum of four years and met certain requirements.

Datuk Azih Muda