Cuepacs to discuss Budget 2018 with Finance Ministry
KUCHING: The Congress of Unions of Employees in the Public and Civil Services will meet with the Ministry of Finance on Friday to discuss the 2018 Budget, said its president Datuk Azih Muda.
He said the meeting was at the request of Cuepacs, which wanted to know the government’s plans and reviews for members of the civil service in various aspects, especially in easing their burden.
In addition, he said, Cuepacs also intended to give suggestions and views on any facilities that could be provided or given back to civil servants and the people in general.
“In line with the government’s success in collecting the Goods and Services Tax (GST), Cuepecs feels it is appropriate various taxes imposed on the people, especially on civil servants can be given higher deductions such as personal income tax deduction, tax deduction for children who are schooling, care of parents and so on.
“We are discussing... also most likely on bonus or various forms of rebate for civil servants. In every budget, we always take into account what will give benefits, including providing incentives to increase productivity,” he said in a media conference after officiating the Public Sector Occupational Safety and Health workshop organised by Sarawak Department of Occupational Safety and Health here yesterday.
He said, at present, many civil servants were facing stress due to increasing work burden, particularly after the government decided not to recruit any more new staff except in the case of a vacancy due to retirement.
Meanwhile, referring to the Ministry of Education’s decision to abolish the allowance for the Bachelor of Teaching degree programme for the June intake next year, Azih said it was inappropriate and Cuepacs disagreed with that measure.