CUEPACS demands cheap homes for civil servants
UPDATED @ 05:33:06 PM 19-09-2012
Omar said the homes civil servants could afford were too far away from their workplaces.—File picKUALA LUMPUR, Sept 19 ― Civil service union CUEPACS demanded today the government force urban developers to set aside a 35-per cent quota of affordable homes priced under RM150,000 for civil servants, under the 2013 Budget to be tabled next week.
CUEPACS president Datuk Omar Osman said that while affordable housing was available in rural areas, these were too far away for civil servants’ commute to work.
“We ask the government to come up with a policy to ensure that 35 per cent [quota] of urban housing development costing between RM60,000 and RM150,000 will be imposed on developers so that medium income civil servants earning below RM3,000 can go to work easier,” Osman said.
He added that other demands, such as the replacement of the Public Service Renumeration scheme (SBPA), the resolution of issues with some 45,000 to 60,000 contract civil workers, and increasing the cost of living allowance (COLA) have been brought up before.
He added that other demands, such as the replacement of the Public Service Renumeration Scheme (SBPA), an annual two-month bonus, resolving issues involving about 45,000-60,000 contract civil workers and increasing the cost of living allowance (COLA), have been brought up before.
“These demands are not new, some are old but are critical and have to be addressed urgently as we have received too many reports and complaints,” Osman said.
The Cuepacs president added that the supreme council today had decided to protest the government’s decision to dissolve the Joint Departmental Meetings in May, which disallows unions to elevate unresolved state negotiations to federal level.
“We have been conducting deliberations in this way for the past 20 years and we feel slighted that this was done without Cuepacs receiving any prior warning,” Osman said.
When asked what the civil service had to offer in return for these demands being met, Osman said the supreme council would push for civil servants to work an additional half hour daily to guarantee increased productivity.
“Imagine the government receiving an additional half hour of work from 1.4 million civil servants. If they look at the cost, they are on the winning side of this deal.
“Most civil servants are already arriving early to work and leaving later, but we will take it to our congress to make such a move official if our demands are met,” Osman said, adding that the full Cuepacs congress was due to convene after the tabling of Budget 2013.
The Cuepacs president also said they will request an audience with both Prime Minister Datuk Seri Najib Razak and his deputy, Tan Sri Muhyiddin Yassin, in either October or November after the tabling of the Budget.
“The supreme council members, numbering 120 people, want to ask for an audience with both leaders to meet up with the full congress, including members from Sabah and Sarawak, to discuss our issues further,” Osman said.
