CUEPACS: REVIEW GRATUITY POLICY FOR SACKED CIVIL SERVANTS

The Star

23/2/2010

A: Cuepacs wants the Government to review its policy of non-payment of gratuity for sacked civil servants.
It also wants the policy on partial payment of gratuity for those who opted for early retirement to be reversed.
Its president Omar Osman said the two policies must be reviewed as they were unfair to civil servants.
He said civil servants who were sacked for disciplinary problems should be paid the gratuity as their offences were not criminal in nature.
Under the current policy, sacked civil servants, irrespective of the reasons for their sacking, are not paid any gratuity nor pension.
“Those who are sacked because of disciplinary problem should get their gratuity but civil servants who are dismissed for taking bribes and corruption should be denied such payment,” he told The Star.
However, Omar said Cuepacs would not request that pension be paid to those who were sacked, adding in 2008, about 400 people civil servants were sacked for committing various offences.
He said full gratuity should also be paid to those who opted to retire early.
Omar said the recently announced policy of partial payment had caused much unhappiness.
He said the Government should either reverse the policy or pay 50% of the gratuity in one lump sum.
He said Cuepacs’ request on the matter was forwarded to Chief Secretary to the Government Tan Sri Mohd Sidek Hassan yesterday.
On Feb 1, the Public Service De­­partment issued a circular stating that civil servants who retire early will be paid only 20% of their gratuity or RM10,000, whichever is higher.
The remaining amount would be paid on a date to be determined by the Government, not later than the mandatory retirement of the civil servant but the retiree will, however, receive full payment in lieu of annual paid leave and monthly pension on opting out.