CIVIL SERVANTS TAKING JOBS

The Star
By ROSHIDI ABU SAMAH
29/4/2011

IPOH: The rising costs of goods and living have forced many low-ranking civil servants to take up part-time jobs.

And the worry is, their productivity and performance levels as public servants would be exposed to power abuse.

Cuepacs president Datuk Omar Osman said the congress was concerned that civil servants might get involved in corruption to obtain extra income.

Omar was speaking to newsmen after a briefing session with Perak Domestic Trade, Cooperatives and Consumerism officers here yesterday.

Cash assistance: Omar (left) presenting the mock cheque to Noor Rashidah Friday.

He was commenting on the Malaysian Anti-Corruption Commission 2010 Annual Report which stated that 131 civil servants were among 381 people charged with corruption last year.

It was also reported that 293 civil servants were among the 944 people who were arrested by the commission last year.

Omar said various calls by Cuepacs for the Government to improve the work scheme for civil servants was meant to help such low-income group.

He claimed proposals submitted by Cuepacs were not given due attention.

Omar said the union also hoped there would be good news from the Government for civil servants at the Workers Day celebration tomorrow.

Among other things, Cuepacs had called on the Government to carry out salary adjustments for civil servants this year.

The union also proposed the cost of living allowance (cola) for all civil servants to be adjusted to RM300 per month, and housing allowance for government employees in grade 40 and below be increased to RM350 per month from the current RM180.

Earlier, Omar presented a cheque worth RM42,600 from Great Eastern Life Assurance (Malaysia) Berhad to teacher Noor Rashidah Sulaiman Najib, whose husband died last year.

A. Razak Shaari, 52, who was head of Perak Domestic Trade, Cooperatives and Consumerism Department in Kuala Kangsar, died here while on duty.