Civil servants hurt by uncalled for accusations

SHAH ALAM: The nation’s civil servants are distressed with issues afflicting them, including the wrong perception levelled against them by certain people from the government, says Cuepacs.

Incumbent Cuepacs secretary-general Adnan Mat (pic) said civil servants were hurt and upset with the things they have been hearing about them.

“Our members are also very worried. It is been said the civil servants are allegedly sabotaging the present government and that we are not in line with the aspirations of the government of the day, ’’ said Adnan when met at the sidelines of the Cuepacs triennial convention here yesterday.

He said the matter would be debated and discussed in depth during the convention.

The convention began on Tuesday with the polls held yesterday. The results will be announced today following the debates by delegates representing Cuepacs’ 114 affiliate unions.

Adnan said the civil servants were grossly misunderstood by the government and it was unfair to them to be levelled with such a perception.

He said the civil service was still using the policies formulated by the previous government as the current government has yet to come up with its own policies.

“As civil servants, our employer is the government of the day and we will implement and carry out our instructions. So it is unfair to say that we are not loyal to the government of the day, ’’ said Adnan, who is also the deputy president of the Almagated National Union of Local Authorities Employees.

According to Adnan, who is one of the five candidates contesting for the president’s post, delegates will debate issues that are affecting the civil service.

“There are four other core issues that will be hotly debated, ” he said.

They would be the removal of the pension scheme from the civil service and the replacement of permanent positions with contractual employment.

“Delegates will also voice out their concerns about the current reductions in the number of posts as well as the shrinkage in the nation’s civil service, ’’ he said.

He added that delegates would also discuss the need to increase the minimum wage in the civil service.

He said the current minimum basic salary of RM1,250 was insufficient for them to meet their basic needs.

Cuepacs will request that the government increase the minimum basic wage to RM1,800 so that workers in the urban areas will not live below the poverty line.

“We will be discussing and debating this as well, ’’ he added.

Some 1,509 delegates are attending the convention this year.