SCHEME TO HELP CIVIL SERVANTS FACING

The Star
By ZUHRIN AZAM AHMAD
zuhrinazam@thestar.com.my
24/9/2011

PUTRAJAYA: Cuepacs and the National Cooperative Organisation of Malaysia (Angkasa) are working on a scheme to help government employees facing bankruptcy.

Cuepacs president Datuk Omar Osman said that through the scheme, Angkasa, via its Syariah Financing Cooperative Scheme (Kopsya), would take over the debts of civil servants under strict terms.

He said the scheme would initially be made available to those who were on the verge of being declared bankrupt due to credit card debt.

“Those unable to pay personal loans may also be considered. Our intention is to save them from being declared bankrupt,” he said yesterday.

Omar said a memorandum of understanding on the scheme between Angkasa and Cuepacs would be signed next month.

“We are still fine-tuning the terms because while we want to help government employees, we must also ensure they won’t take us for a ride,” he said.

Omar added that government employees should not view the scheme as a way to live beyond their means.

“They should not apply for unreasonably large loans or defer repayment and ask the cooperatives to settle everything for them,” he said, adding that as of December last year, about 3,000 government employees had been declared bankrupt.

Meanwhile, Domestic Trade, Cooperatives and Consumerism Minister Datuk Seri Ismail Sabri Yaakob said the scheme was necessary due to the alarming number of Malaysians declared bankrupt.

He said the revelation by The Star that an average of 41 people were declared bankrupt every day, mostly due to credit card debt, should be food for thought.

“There is only so much we can do by conducting awareness campaigns on spending wisely and living within one’s means.

“I am sure consumers have heard of and watched TV dramas about people with huge debts, so please learn something from their misery,” he said after launching the MyAngkasa: 1Koperasi, 1Jaringan, 1Komuniti mobile telecommunication services.