Free medical benefits to also cover parents of civil servants

SEREMBAN: Parents of civil ­servants working on contract basis are now entitled to free medical treatment at government hospitals and health facilities.

The new ruling took effect on Jan 1, said Public Service director­-general Datuk Seri Borhan Dolah in a directive.

“Before this, only the employee and his or her family were entitled to free medical treatment at government health facilities,” he said.

The directive also covers contract staff in state governments, statutory bodies and local councils.

Apart from biological parents, step-parents or adoptive parents are also covered.

Cuepacs president Datuk Azih Muda thanked the government for the gesture.

“This is truly commendable as it will help reduce the financial burden of contract officers,” he said.

“Since they have similar responsibilities like those appointed on a permanent basis, it is only fair that they too are given that benefit.”

Azih said Cuepacs had been fighting to have this benefit extended to those appointed on a contract basis for some time.

He said the financial implications on the government were also negligible as the number of contract employees in service numbered fewer than 50,000.

There are some 1.6 million employees in the civil service with more than half being teachers, ­medical, police and armed forces personnel.