Govt to discuss pay rise with Cuepacs

KUALALUMPUR: The Government will meet with the Congress of Unions of Employees in the Public and Civil Services (Cuepacs) to discuss a proposal to improve the livelihoods of public sector employees.

Chief Secretary to the Government Tan Sri Dr Ali Hamsa said the discussion would include the proposal by Cuepacs that salaries of civil servants and pensions of retirees be raised by three per cent.

Met by reporters after viewing the preparations made at the linkway for pedestrians between KL Sentral and the National Museum mass rapid transit (MRT) station yesterday, he said the matter would be given due consideration by the Government for its 2018 Budget.

However, he pointed out that the Government had already given a three per cent raise to those civil servants who had reached the max- imum salary scale over the past three years or so.

“In the past, on reaching the maximum, civil servants would have to wait for a promotion (to get a raise) but now it is automatic.

“We have implemented this since 2014,” he said.

Meanwhile, Dr Ali said the pedestrian linkway will be opened to the public from July 17.

He said the 240m connection was built at a cost of RM50mil and was completed in 18 months – six months ahead of schedule.

“There was a proposal to build the linkway underground at an estimated cost of RM380mil, but after taking into consideration the views of the Malaysian Resources Corporation Bhd, this project was chosen instead, saving us RM330mil, he said.

Dr Ali, who is alsoMRT Corporation Sdn Bhd chairman, said the air-conditioned linkway, only partially underground, also links several other locations, including Menara CIMB, Le Meridien Hotel, Hilton Hotel and Platinum Sentral.

The opening of the linkway will be simultaneous with the launch of Phase 2 of the MRT’s Sungai BulohKajang (SBK) line, involving the Semantan-Kajang route, which covers 30km and has 19 stations.

It will be launched by Prime Minister Datuk Seri Najib Tun Razak.

The launch of Phase 2 will mark the completion of the entire SBK line, which spans 51km and is expected to be used by more than 500,000 passengers daily.

The first phase from Sungai Buloh to Semantan, which has 12 stations, has been operating since Dec 16 last year.