MORE PICS & Video – RM8 Billion Pay Rise – Small Price for 1,002,040 civil servants & 557,033 Retirees Votes; Pay rise assures BN Win in Next GE

UPDATE: May 24 2007; 2:44am

Greedy Cuepacs; Asking other Perks so soon after Pay Rise costing RM8 Billion; It costs a BOMB to feed 1.2 Million of them; What’s next? Work on Alternate days?

This Cuepacs is real greedy. Just given a hefty pay rise for its members and immediately they are asking to have other perks consider. Give them an inch and they want a foot, give them a foot and they want a yard. When will all these stop? And have they squeaked a little about improving performance and quality of work? All they are thinking is making demands and more demands. They should consider themselves lucky to be in this bloated easy service jobs marking their time for the pensions at the end of the day. What would they ask in the future? Work on alternate days or on odd or even days. Better still, work from home!

It already cost the taxpayers a bomb to feed these and some “too well-fed” servants – consuming wealth created by others and the natural resources while they last.
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May 23, 2007 21:28 PM

Cuepacs Hopes Govt Will Consider Other Perks For Civil Servants
SEREMBAN, May 23 (Bernama) -- Cuepacs hopes the government will consider giving other perks for civil servants as requested by the union besides the salary increase, its president Omar Osman (BELOW, elated 10 ft tall with the hike given) said today.

Extending retirement age to 60, scrapping the Efficiency Level Assessment Test (PTK), pension payment based on years of service and better retirement benefits for new government employees under the Pension Trust Fund are among the perks sought by the umbrella body for public sector union. "We are negotiating with the Public Service Department (PSD) to approve the requests for the benefit of 1.2 million civil servants.

I think there is a positive development on the requests," he told reporters after attending the Negeri Sembilan Risda Employees' Union's biennial meeting here today. Prime Minister Datuk Seri Abdullah Ahmad Badawi on Monday announced a pay hike of between 7.5 per cent and 35 per cent for government employees from July 1. The cost of living allowance has been increased by 100 per cent. On PTK, Omar said Cuepacs had asked PSD to replace it with the continuous professionalism development programme for career advancement which would be fair to civil servants in the promotion exercise and salary increment. He said the programme would be fair compared to PTK as it would be a career development programme based on the length of service of a civil servant.

ABOVE: The Cuepacs members clapping and grinning when the pay hike was announced

"This is different from PTK which stipulates that a civil servant must pass the test to be considered for promotions and salary increase, he said. On the Contributors Pension Scheme to be managed by the Pension Trust Fund, Omar said Cuepacs had forwarded counter proposals as it could not accept the scheme. Under the proposed Contributors Pension Scheme for new civil servants, the employees have to contribute 11 per cent while the government tops up 12 per cent. Under the scheme, civil servants could withdraw their contributions after their retirement compared to the pension scheme under which employees would get half of their last drawn salary.

"We've also asked the government to review the pension scheme to be based on the years of service. To qualify for full pension, a civil servant must serve for 25 years. "Even if he serves for 30 years, the pension will be based on his 25-year service. Cuepacs wants the government to consider the 30-year service for pension," he said.

In SINTOK, Cuepacs vice-president Ku Azmi Ku Ibrahim urged the government to standardise the Cost of Living Allowance for civil servants regardless of whether they were living in urban or rural area as the expenses incurred by them were the same. He hoped the allowance would be standardised in the 2008 Budget. Ku Azmi, who is also Universiti Utara Malaysia Employees Union president, said just like their counterparts working in urban areas, civil servants in rural areas also have to contend with high fuel prices, toll charges, increased prices of household items and their children's school expenses.
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UPDATE: May 23 2007; 2:54am

PM ABDULLAH dismissed Salary Hike linked to General Elections (most likely in Nov 2007, after consulting with his Chinese Fortune Teller); ABDULLAH: Begging Japan to invest in Johore’s IDR.

ABOVE: PM Abdullah speaking to newsmen after being asked about the Salary Hike and BELOW: Meeting with his Japanese counterpart Shinzo Abe. He also called on Japan to participate in Johore's IDR (see below)

May 22, 2007 22:28 PM

Salary Increase Nothing To Do With Elections, Says Abdullah; From Leslean Arshad

TOKYO, May 22 (Bernama) -- Malaysian Prime Minister Datuk Seri Abdullah Ahmad Badawi said today the salary increase for civil servants announced yesterday has nothing to do with the next general election. He said the government fulfilled the request of the civil servants at a time when its financial position permitted it to do so.

"Whatever we do is linked to elections, as though we work only for the elections," he said in dismissing talk that the salary increase was given in view of the next general election. Abdullah said what the government did for the public sector was something that the civil servants "needed most" and had been waiting for. He said the government was unable to meet their request earlier because the financial position then did not permit it to give a salary increase. "We can afford it now; so what's wrong with giving (a salary increase). We want to give (a salary increase). Why should we wait any longer?" he told Malaysian journalists accompanying him on his working visit to Japan beginning yesterday. "We must have the capacity. If we cannot afford it, we cannot (give the salary increase).

It's a long time (that) they have been waiting," he said. The prime minister yesterday announced in Putrajaya a salary increase of between 7.5 and 35 per cent for civil servants, as well as a 20 per cent additional rise for police and military personnel. He also announced a doubling of the cost-of-living allowance, all effective July 1. Abdullah said the salary increase was the best ever given based on the current affordability of the government. On the private sector, he said it was left to employers to determine any salary increase depending on their respective affordability. He said he did not want to be seen to be dictating what the private sector should be doing

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May 22, 2007 16:24 PM

Wages Increase Shows Signs Of Resilient Economy, Says MIA

By Tengku Noor Shamsiah Tengku Abdullah

PUTRAJAYA, May 22 (Bernama) -- The salary increase for civil servants is a good economic indicator that the government is doing well, president of the Malaysian Investors Association (MIA), Datuk P.H.S. Lim, said Tuesday.

"We are happy that the government can afford to increase wages for the civil servants as this proved that it is peforming quite well, unlike some other governments," he told Bernama. He said this in response to the announcement by Prime Minister Datuk Seri Abdullah Ahmad Badawi yesterday on the pay increase of between 7.5 and 35 percent for more than one million civil servants in the country, effective July 1. According to Lim, it was fair for civil servants to get the wage increase as the cost of living has increased over the last 15 years.

"With a higher salary scale, more quality graduates and other people will be attracted to join the civil service," he said. Lim said with their current low salaries, many lower ranking civil servants have been forced to take up a second job to supplement their income. "But now with the wage increase, I am sure the efficiency and productivity of the public sector will improve, thus enabling the nation to prosper," he said. Lim also said that the salary increase was inevitable as the government could not hope to maintain low wages. "We hope the private sector too will look into a salary revision for their staff," he said
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May 22, 2007 21:18 PM

Abdullah Invites Japan To Participate In IDR; From Leslean Arshad

TOKYO, May 22 (Bernama) -- Datuk Seri Abdullah Ahmad Badawi today invited Japan to participate in southern Johor's Iskandar Development Region (IDR) and thus build upon the healthy bilateral relations, especially in trade, investment and economic activities. The Prime Minister extended the invitation at his meeting here with his Japanese counterpart, Shinzo Abe. He is on a five-day working visit to Japan. Abdullah, who explained to Abe about the IDR, said he received a positive response, with Abe saying: "(It's a) brilliant idea to have this development." "I told him that it'll be good if Japanese investors come to this region (IDR).

ABOVE: the Malaysian team and BELOW: The Japan's Side. Note: the lack of pomp in this meeting, no microphone needed, in a simply furnished room with a "table-tennis" table. Compare this to the elaborate air put up in Putrajaya for such type of meetings - all the wastage and show off.

He said it's a good development that will surely succeed," he told the Malaysian media covering his trip, which began yesterday. Abe also gave a commitment to inform the Japanese private sector about the IDR and encourage them to participate in it. The IDR is a 2,217 sq km area that encompasses several districts, such as Johor Baharu, Kulai, Kota Tinggi and Pontian. It is being developed by the national investment agency, Khazanah Nasional Bhd, to be a dynamic economic zone like what Shenzhen in China has become. At the meeting, Abdullah and Abe also touched on the need to lift bilateral relations to a higher level, especially in economic development. Although the Japan-Malaysia Economic Partnership Agreement (EPA) is already being implemented, much more needs to be done after 50 years of bilateral relations, the Malaysian prime minister said. He said he told Abe that Malaysia has benefited from the two-way ties, particularly through the Look East policy that Malaysia introduced 25 years ago under which some 14,000 Malaysian students advanced their education in Japan. Abdullah said he also wanted the International Technology University, to be jointly set up by both countries, to be speeded up because it will be a new symbol of Malaysia-Japan cooperation in the post-50 years era.

ABOVE: ABE is really an able and polite host always willing to oblige and listen. But will they dump the money in the Johore IDR "sinkhole"?

Abe, he said, accepted his invitation to make an official visit to Malaysia at a date to be set later. He also invited the Japanese leader to attend Malaysia's 50th year of independence celebrations on Aug 31, and he promised to consider it. Abdullah said Malaysia is also inviting Asean leaders as well as heads of government of countries whose relations with Malaysia go back 50 years. At the meeting, the two leaders also touched on issues concerning Asean, the southern Philippines, the Korean peninsula and on Japan's interest in the Middle East. He said Abe expressed Japan's intention to play a more active role in the Asean+3 forum (involving the 10 Asean member states plus Japan, South Korea and China), and he responded that this is appropriate as the forum will be the forerunner to the East Asia Community. Abdullah said he welcomed Japan's interest in the Middle East following Abe's recent trip to that region because the area has a lot of problems, like Palestine, Iraq and Lebanon, which are affecting global stability. "These issues are not just those of the Arabs or Muslims but affect other countries too, and these have often been discussed in the United Nations Security Council," he added.

"So attention has to be paid to resolving them. Japan's desire to get closer the Middle East countries is very good as it will then understand the real situation there." Abdullah said he was also told of Japan's keenness to be involved in efforts to bring peace and stability to the southern Philippines and he informed Abe of Malaysia's role as a coordinator for several countries which have been granted observer status in the region. He also stressed on the need to pay attention to the development aspects in southern Philippines because it is under-developed and its people are poor, and that Japan's capability to promote development can benefit them. On the situation in the Korean peninsula, Abdullah said he stressed that the issue regarding North Korea should be resolved as soon as possible. Japan is involved in the six-party talks aimed at weaning Pyongyang away from developing nuclear weapons.

= = = = = == = == =Ronnie Liu the DAP sifu has predicted the GE is most likely be held in Nov 2007 Read on for his reasonings.

All indicators point to an early GE in November

May 22nd, 2007 by ronnieliutiankhiew, DAP

The salary increment for 1.02 million government servants is just one of the indicators for early general elections. The pay rise will no doubt lessen the burden of the lower ranking civil servants and has an impact on retaining their votes and loyalty to BN. Without the pay rise, it’s likely that some of them(and their spouses) would not vote for BN. I still believe that AAB and his think-tank would not be relying on this salary increment alone to fish for more votes to secure another big victory for Barisan Nasional.

Some of the non-Malays were not too happy with the quantum of increment because they know the money actually comes from the taxpayers like them collectively. And they have doubts that the public delivery system will be improved or corruption would be reduced very much. AAB ’s team knows that while AAB is still popular to many Malay voters especially in the rural areas, they can kiss and say goodbye to the “feel good factors’ created by AAB in 2004.

They can now only depend on more goodies, plus some threats and massive frauds (with the help of Election Commission) to win elections. AAB and his company will certainly turn the coming Budget in September into an ‘election Budget’, using it to woo Chinese and Indians who were not benefited from the pay rise in general. They will also make use of the 50th anniversary of Merdeka as an opportunity to push nationalism and the so-called patriotism to ’sky-high’ in order to create a ‘euphoria’ to drum up more support from the unsuspicious rakyat. After more goodies and hand-outs were given out from July right up to September and October, that would be the right time for AAB to reap the harvest in November. AAB and company have been saying that Anwar is a spent force or a non-entity after the Ijok ‘buy-election’. But deep down in their hearts, they know what kind of damage Anwar was capable of if he was allowed to contest.

The latest date for AAB to hold the GE would be March 15. There would be no more best dates for him after March 15. I still think AAB will stick to one of the best dates (this year) given to him by his Chinese fortune master. That will be soon after the Hari Raya Celebration i.e. 25 November. He has won big in 2004 using the winning date given by the same fortune master. There’s no reason for AAB to disregard the advice of his master. There are people in the Opposition even talking about August 2007 as the month for elections. I beg to differ. Yes, the Opposition is not ready by August ; but I believe even BN is not ready by August too. And more importantly, that’s not one of the best dates given by his fortune master.
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The timing is perfect, a pay hike for civil servants assures the BN government of 1,002,040 votes and another 557,033 Retirees Votes. Add in the votes from the spouses and some children, the Abdullah government just could not afford to antagonize such a big block vote.

Similarly the purported apologies from the two sexists BN MPS were engineered to appease the block of women voters. PM Abdullah had given strict orders to nib that problem in the bud and not be an election issue.
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Malaysian Workers Get Pay Increase, First Since 2002(Update 1)

Updated : 21-05-2007 Media : Bloomberg; Story By : Stephanie Phang and Angus Whitley; (Adds cost of pay increase in third paragraph.)

May 21 (Bloomberg) -- Malaysian Prime Minister Abdullah Ahmad Badawi increased the pay of civil servants by as much as 35 percent, their first raise in five years, easing the burden of rising costs in the Southeast Asian nation. The 1 million government workers will receive salary increases of between 7.5 percent and 35 percent, Abdullah said in a speech today outside Kuala Lumpur. Police officers and members of the armed forces will be awarded increases of as much as 42 percent. The hike, effective July 1, will cost the government 8 billion ringgit ($2.4billion) annually, including 6.8 billion ringgit in salaries and 1.2 billion ringgit after cost of living allowances were doubled. Prices in Malaysia have risen for fuel, electricity, water and road tolls in the last 18 months. Some civil servants have been forced to take on second jobs to make ends meet, working as taxi drivers or security guards, according to the Congress of Unions of Employees in the Public and Civil Service, or Cuepacs. Malaysia's lowest-paid civil servants, including laborers, drivers and hospital attendants, earn 480 ringgit a month. The government considers households earning less than 691 ringgit a month to be in poverty. The government last raised civil servant salaries 10 percent in 2002, said Hasniah Rashid, a spokeswoman for the Public Service Department. That rise was an ``adjustment'' and not an increase, said Cuepacs President Omar Osman. He said the last pay rise for government workers was in 1992. Malaysia's inflation rate reached a seven-year high of 4.8 percent in March last year after the government raised fuel prices in February, the fifth time since May 2004. State- controlled Tenaga Nasional Bhd. was allowed to raise power prices in June by 12 percent, its first increase in nine years.

Some analysts have said that higher pay for workers will help reduce the graft (See ABOVE) that's dragged Malaysia down in corruption rankings. Malaysia fell to 44th in the 2006 Corruption Perceptions Index from 39th the previous year, Transparency International said in November. ____


Civil Servants To Get Pay Increase Of Up To 35 Pct
May 21, 2007 13:01 PM

PUTRAJAYA, May 21 (Bernama) -- Prime Minister Datuk Seri Abdullah Ahmad
Badawi today announced a pay increase of between 7.5 per cent and 35 per cent for the more than one million civil servants in the country, effective July 1. They will also get a 100 per cent increase in the cost of living allowance (Cola). In recognition of the heavy responsibility of police and military personnel and the challenges they face in the line of duty, Abdullah said they would get an additional 20 per cent on top of the increase. Speaking at the Workers Day gathering for the public sector here, he said the basic salary of the Support Group II (Grades 1 to 16) would be increased by 35 per cent while those in the Support Group I (Grades 17 to 40) would get a 25 per cent increase.For the Management and Professional Group (Grades 41 to 54), the increase is 15 per cent while those in the Premier Grade (Jusa) will get a 7.5 per cent pay hike. Abdullah said the salary increase for the 1,002,040 civil servants would cost the government RM3.4 billion this year or an additional annual expenditure of RM6.8 billion. The increase in the payment of Cola will involve an additional expenditure of RM600 million this year or RM1.2 billion annually.
Abdullah said the strong growth of the country's Gross Domestic Product over the past five years, averaging 5.6 per cent annually, was the first factor considered by the government in determining the quantum of the pay hike. This, he said, was spurred by the growth in private sector investment and the external trade volume which had surpassed the RM1 trillion mark. "All these have allowed interest rates, inflation and unemployment to remain low. The Bursa Malaysia Composite Index also reflects the country's tremendous economic growth, reaching its highest level recently," he said.

The prime minister said the second factor was the need to attract and retain qualified, highly-motivated and performance-driven human capital in the civil service. The government, he said, was also concerned about the rising cost of living due to the hike in global oil prices which had affected those in the lower income bracket.

The fourth factor, Abdullah said, was the government's affordability which was aided by a marked increase in tax collection and a more prudent execution of expenditure. "In fixing the quantum, the government is always mindful of its repercussions on the country's financial position. Any salary increase will also involve pension calculations and certain allowances. "The quantum has been decided carefully and prudently. The government was able to reduce the budget deficit from 5.3 per cent in to 3.5 per cent last year and we'll continue with this prudent fiscal management," he added. Saying that the pay hike would lessen the burden of those in the lower income group, Abdullah said that at the same time, they should be mindful of the people's higher expectations of the civil service. "They'll expect a high-quality civil service that commensurate with the salary increase. Take this opportunity to increase productivity and the quality of service to the people," he added.
The prime minister also urged government employees to be prudent consumers in light of the reported price increases lately. "Do report errant traders to the authorities and spend your money elsewhere. Consumers who exercise their rights are smart consumers. Tell others if you come across these errant traders so that people won't have to deal with
them. "The Domestic Trade and Consumer Affairs Ministry should also increase
monitoring and efforts to educate the public on consumer rights," he said. Highlighting a matter close to his heart, Abdullah said the government wanted the country's public sector to emerge as one that would achieve global distinction. "The government is counting on its employees to add value to their work. They should strive to reduce red tape, be friendly, transparent, responsive, creative -- putting the interests of customers above all else," he added. Abdullah said that civil servants should change their mindset to deliver services speedily, bearing in mind that they should play the role of
facilitators and partners of the people and the private sector.
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Pension Set To Increase Too, Says Abdullah
May 21, 2007 22:08 PM

PUTRAJAYA, May 21 (Bernama) -- Government retirees are set to enjoy an
increase in their pension following the pay hike for civil servants announced today, Datuk Seri Abdullah Ahmad Badawi said. In a statement here, the prime minister said that pension had to be adjusted in the event of any salary revision in accordance with the Pensions Adjustment Act 1980. However, the statement did not specify the quantum of the increase. There are currently 557,033 government pensioners in the country. Abdullah today announced a pay increase of between 7.5 per cent and 35 per cent for more than a million civil servants, effective July.

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May 21, 2007 19:11 PM

Eight Categories Of Civil Servants Eligible For Salary Increase

PUTRAJAYA, May 21 (Bernama) -- Datuk Seri Abdullah Ahmad Badawi said eight categories of civil servants will be eligible for the 7.5 per cent to 35 per cent salary increase from July 1 that was announced by the government today. The Prime Minister said those eligible are civil servants under the Malaysian Remuneration Scheme (SSM) like permanent staff, contract staff, temporary staff, part-time staff and short-service staff. It also covers officers on full-pay, half-pay and no-pay study leave; and those on secondment or temporary transfers, he said in a statement here.

The statement was issued after Abdullah announced at the Workers Day gathering for the public sector here that civil servants' basic salary will be increased by 7.5 per cent for those in the Premier Grade (JUSA), 15 per cent for the Management and Professional Group (Grades 41 to 54), 25 per cent for the Support Group I (Grades 17 to 40) while the Support Group II (Grades 1 to 16) will get a 35 per cent increase. The Prime Minister said the JUSA group had 1,603 people, the Management and Professional group (246,202), Support Group I (434,899) and Support Group II (319,336) On employees in local authorities and state civil servants, he said it (pay hike) would depend on service circulars issued by the state governments and local authorities concerned. Traders who hike prices following civil servants' pay rise to be expo

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May 21, 2007 18:56 PM

Police, Military To Enjoy Pay Hike Of Up To 42 Pct - Abdullah

PUTRAJAYA, May 21 (Bernama) -- Police and military personnel will get a pay rise of between nine and 42 per cent following the government's decision to increase the salary of civil servants, effective July 1, Datuk Seri Abdullah Ahmad Badawi said today. The prime minister said that those in the Premier Grade would get a nine per cent increase, 18 per cent for those in the Management and Professional Group (Grades 41 to 54), 30 per cent for Support Group I (Grades 17 to 40) and 42 per cent for Support Group II (Grades 1 to 16).

He said this in a statement here. When announcing the salary increase for civil servants at the Workers Day gathering for the public sector at the Putrajaya International Convention Centre earlier today, Abdullah said that police and military personnel would get an additional 20 per cent on top of the increase. For the rest of the civil servants, the increase is 7.5 per cent for Premier Grade officers, 15 per cent for those in the Management and Professional Group, 25 per cent for Support Group I and 35 per cent for Support Group II. Abdullah said the government agreed to extend the additional pay increase to the military although it had only been requested by the police force.

On average, he said, the salaries of police personnel were five to 15 per cent higher than those of other civil servants. He also said that the salaries of military personnel were three to 11 per cent higher than those in the police force. There are 1,002,040 civil servants in the country, including military and police personnel
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Malaysiakini had an updated story yesterday Up to 35% hike for Civil Servants stating that Prime Minister Abdullah Ahmad Badawi announced a hefty pay rise for civil servants which observers view as a strong indicator of a general election being around the corner.

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= == = == == == == == =Now watch the Video Clip (1 min 41 sec) with added in comments
It was a ploy to get these massive block votes from the civil servants and the retirees & the BN cronies for another 5-years of UNinterrupted "Corrupted Practices"