KOTA KINABALU: Sabah Cuepacs is urging the government to ensure the safety of aircraft used in rural air services and also called for an increase in hardship and rural allowances provided to civil servants stationed in remote areas of Sabah and Sarawak.
State chairman Ajulahin Japin said that aviation safety must be a top priority and increasing their allowances would recognise the sacrifices made by healthcare personnel who depended on air travel to deliver services to communities.
He said the RM30 flight allowances for healthcare personnel travelling by air to deliver services to communities in remote areas in Sabah and Sarawak should also be reviewed.
“The government must ensure that every aircraft used to transport healthcare workers to remote locations is safe, airworthy, maintained according to established standards and subject to regular inspections.
“If aircraft are ageing, their technical condition, maintenance records and continued operational suitability must be assessed seriously. The lives and safety of healthcare workers must not be compromised due to cost considerations or logistical constraints,” he said in a statement Friday (Sept 18).
Ajulahin also called on the government to conduct a comprehensive review of the hardship and rural allowances received by healthcare workers serving in remote areas.
There is a need to re-examine inconsistencies in allowance rates between ministries, as well as the fixed-rate approach adopted under the Public Service Remuneration System (SSPA), Ajulahin said.
Sabah and Sarawak face geographical realities and levels of hardship that differ significantly from those in Peninsular Malaysia, he said.
“Some areas that were once considered remote in Peninsular Malaysia have since developed into small towns with better infrastructure, basic amenities and road access.
“In contrast, many rural areas in Sabah and Sarawak continue to face challenges similar to those experienced 10 or 20 years ago, including difficult road conditions, long travel distances, limited facilities and dependence on air and boat transportation,” he said.
He said Sabah Cuepacs believes allowance rates should not be standardised without taking actual conditions on the ground into account, he added.
More reasonable and appropriate rates should be provided to personnel serving in remote areas of Sabah and Sarawak.
“This is not a matter of seeking special treatment, but rather one of fairness and recognition of the sacrifices made by healthcare workers who leave their families behind and work under challenging conditions to ensure that people living in remote areas continue to receive healthcare services.”
Sabah Cuepacs urges the government to make the safety, welfare and recognition of healthcare workers in rural and remote areas a priority in efforts to improve public service policies.
