119 Bekas Buruh Jabatan Pelajaran Merayu Bekerja Semula

KUALA TERENGGANU, 30 Sept (Bernama) -- Seramai 119 bekas buruh Jabatan Pelajaran Terengganu yang ditamatkan kontrak sekali lagi merayu Kementerian Pelajaran supaya campur tangan dalam soal pemberhentian kontrak mereka sejajar dengan slogan kerajaan "Rakyat didahulukan pencapaian diutamakan".Wakil kumpulan itu Zali Chik, 50, berkata sejak ditamatkan kontrak pada Julai lepas, kesemua 119 orang buruh yang terlibat terpaksa menggangur dan melakukan apa sahaja kerja bagi menanggung keluarga."Contohnya saya, saya sekarang ini terpaksa mengambil upah memotong getah di kampung walaupun pendapatannya tidak seberapa bagi menanggung lima orang anak yang sedang belajar," katanya.Zali, yang mempunyai lima anak, termasuk dua orang yang sedang menuntut di universiti, berkata telah banyak rayuan dibuat terutamanya kepada Kerajaan Pusat, namun tiada tanda-tanda positif."Semasa Menteri Pelajaran yang juga Timbalan Perdana Menteri Tan Sri Muhyiddin Yassin melawat Hulu Terengganu bulan puasa lepas, saya telah serahkan memorandam kepada beliau, tetapi sehingga kini belum ada jawapan," katanya.Zaki, bekas pekerja am rendah di Sekolah Kebangsaan Tapu, Hulu Terengganu, berharap kerajaan akan mengambil semula 119 buruh ditamatkan kontrak itu bekerja kerana sesetengah daripada mereka berhutang dengan bank."Sekarang ini, tiada tempat lagi kami hendak mengadu, tambahan pula anak-anak makin membesar yang perlu ditanggung," katanya.

Bernama Online

Wujudkan Atase Bahasa Melayu Di Kedutaan Malaysia Di Luar Negara

JOHOR BAHARU, 28 Sept (Bernama) -- Kementerian Luar pada Isnin dicadang supaya mewujudkan Atase Bahasa Melayu di kedutaan Malaysia di luar negara sebagai usaha mengembangkan Bahasa Melayu sebagai bahasa dunia.Menteri Besar Johor Datuk Abdul Ghani Othman berkata pegawai tersebut bukan sahaja perlu dilengkapkan dengan ilmu Bahasa Melayu bahkan ilmu mengenai kebudayaan Melayu."Pegawai ini akan membantu Atase Pelajaran, Ekonomi dan Ketenteraan. Tugas mereka ialah membuka kelas Bahasa Melayu di Kedutaan Malaysia, yang dengan cara itu Bahasa Melayu akan berkembang sebagai bahasa dunia," katanya ketika menyampaikan ucaptama pada persidangan antarabangsa "Bahasa Melayu Bahasa Dunia", di sini, pada Isnin.Persidangan tersebut dianjurkan Akademi Pengajian Melayu Universiti Malaya, Fakulti Bahasa Universiti Sultan Idris dan Dewan Bahasa dan Pustaka dengan kerjasama Yayasan Warisan Johor.Abdul Ghani berkata untuk permulaan, atase berkenaan boleh ditempatkan di Kedutaan Malaysia di Bangkok dan pejabat Konsul Malaysia di Songkhla, Thailand selain di Sri Lanka, Afrika Selatan, Filipina dan Kemboja."Di tempat ini terdapat orang Melayu golongan perantau. Bahasa Melayu mereka adalah Bahasa Melayu kacukan dengan bahasa setempat. Sekiranya dapat dimajukan bidang Bahasa Melayu sebagai bahasa kedua, maka semua Melayu perantauan dapat bertutur dengan Bahasa Melayu yang betul," katanya.Selain itu, beliau berkata Bahasa Melayu juga perlu dijadikan bahasa di Pertubuhan Bangsa-Bangsa Bersatu (PBB) dengan semua pemimpin negara serumpun diharapkan memiliki keberanian untuk memulakan ucapan mereka di dalam Bahasa Melayu di PBB."Tan Sri Razali Ismail semasa menjadi wakil tetap Malaysia di PBB telah buat pertama kalinya berucap di dalam Bahasa Melayu. Gabungan dan hasrat negara serumpun perlu disatukan supaya terdapat usaha bersama merealisasikan hasrat ini," katanya.Beliau berkata, walaupun, Malaysia, Indonesia dan Brunei bukannya negara kuasa besar, namun, jumlah penutur yang hampir 350 juta orang memberi kekuatan untuk mencapai hasrat berkenaan.

Bernama Online

Shukri Dilantik Ketua Pengarah ICU

KUALA LUMPUR, 18 Sept (Bernama) -- Pengarah Pejabat Pembangunan Negeri Kelantan di Unit Penyelarasan Pelaksanaan (ICU), Jabatan Perdana Menteri Datuk Shukry Md Salleh dilantik sebagai Ketua Pengarah unit tersebut mulai 25 Sept, Ketua Setiausaha Negara Tan Sri Sidek Hassan mengumumkan pada Jumaat.Shukry, 55, menggantikan Tan Sri Khalid Ramli, 60, yang tamat perkhidmatan pada 24 Sept, selepas berkhidmat dalam perkhidmatan awam selama 37 tahun.Shukry, yang memilik ijazah sarjana Pengajian Polisi Sosial dari University of Hull, United Kingdom pernah berkhidmat sebagai pengurus besar Lembaga Kemajuan Kelantan Selatan (Kesedar) serta pengarah Jabatan Pendaftaran Negara di beberapa buah negeri.

Bernama Online

The Price Of Public Service

ON PAPER, it looks like a hefty pay cut. Newly-appointed Minister in the Prime Minister’s Department Datuk Seri Idris Jala could be taking close to a RM100,000 pay cut every month now that he has left the private sector to join the Government.Based on the Malaysia Airlines’ 2008 annual report, his income as MAS chief executive officer and managing director was between RM1mil and RM1.5mil.But his current salary as a minister is a monthly allowance of RM14,907.20 and additionally, as a senator, a sum of RM4,112.79. This excludes other claims and allowances (see table on Page 24) which totals to a minimum of RM25,619.99.However, it has not been disclosed if he is drawing a salary in his position as the CEO of Performance Management and Delivery Unit (Pemandu), the unit monitoring the implementation of the key performance indicator (KPI) initiative for the Government.Jala will no longer enjoy the remuneration he was earning in the private sector. His monthly salary now and then could be a difference of RM100,000.Surely this spells national service – at a huge salary sacrifice – on the part of Jala, 51, who had already taken a cut in pay and perks when he left Shell MDS (Malaysia) as MD and Shell Malaysia Gas & Power (Malaysia) vice-president to helm MAS in December 2005.As the man credited for turning around the once-struggling national air carrier, his appointment is lauded as a recruitment of top minds from the private sector.Datuk Syed Abdull Hafiz Syed Abu Bakar, Perusahaan Otomobil Kedua Sdn Bhd (Perodua) MD who has known Jala for a long time as they were both in the oil and gas industry says: “This is National Service and you do not think twice about it. You cannot say you love your country and turn away when called upon.”Hafiz, who has high regard for Jala, says that “with that kind of background, it is a very welcome change to have people like him in the Government because he is looking at quantifiable numbers and getting the job done.”Others from the private sector who have or had been roped in to join the Government include former Maybank CEO Tan Sri Amirsham Abdul Aziz, lawyer Zaid Ibrahim and Tan Sri Nor Mohamad Yakcop who was with Bank Negara.Remunerating leadersIf the administration headed by Prime Minister Datuk Seri Najib Tun Razak is keen to bring in professionals to handle specific jobs and wants to measure the performance of Cabinet ministers through a key performance index (KPI), shouldn’t the remuneration of the ministers, Members of Parliament, senators and state assemblymen be reviewed accordingly too?If more is expected of those who serve the Government, surely their remuneration should be closer to what they can command in the private sector.For example, in Singapore, the Prime Minister’s salary is determined by placing it on par with the top corporate earners in the island nation.Going by that logic, many argue that political leaders holding key government positions are in some ways similar to the top personnel in the private sector and should be paid on the same scale.But in Malaysia, CEO’s salaries are on a scale that is much higher than that of the PM and Cabinet Ministers (see table). The income is spelt out under the Members of Parliament (Remuneration) Act 1980 (Act 237).Cabinet ministers receive a salary to the tune of RM14,907.20 and deputy ministers RM10,847.65. The Prime Minister receives RM22,826.65, and his deputy RM18,168.15. In contrast, the highest paid premier in the world, Singapore’s Prime Minister Lee Hsien Loong, earns approximately S$3mil (RM7.25mil) a year or a staggering S$250,000 (RM600,000) a month.But, says Datuk Seri Dr Fong Chan Onn, Alor Gajah MP and former Human Resources Minister, one cannot equate a minister’s job to a position in the private sector.“By definition, public service requires sacrifice. Nevertheless, a minister should be entitled to live decently because a politician’s life is very uncertain, and he should be rewarded for his service when he retires,” he adds.Fong shares that if claims are included, a minister can take home about RM35,000 every month.A minister is entitled to further allowances as an MP or Senator. For many people, that would mean a comfortable level of income. Fong believes that the political system is different here in Malaysia compared to neighbouring Singapore.“People here join with an ideal of wanting to change society, so to do that many of us are willing to sacrifice. But having said that, to attract new people to serve – young professionals in well-paying jobs – money would be one of the considerations,” he says.Elected representativesMPs are given a monthly allowance of RM6,508.59 per month, in addition to other claims available to them under Statute Paper 235 of 1983 (see table).The last time MPs’ monthly allowance was increased was in June 9, 2005 (effective from Jan 1, 2004), up RM591.69 from RM5,916.90.Says Pasir Salak MP Datuk Tajuddin Abdul Rahman of the perception that most MPs are rich: “It is not correct to generalise. There are some millionaires who have become politicians, but the majority of MPs are struggling.”“While we are given an allowance, we also contribute and donate – especially those in the poorer constituencies. MPs are not rich people, and we sacrifice and suffer quite a lot. The public think MPs and assemblymen are well to do, but actually, they are not.”He says there are many politicians who were formerly teachers, civil servants, or professionals whose income is not high.“When they leave their job, they do not have a fortune, but they will still have to make ends meet. They are elected because of their good credentials, and many of them willingly accept the offer to serve.”Datuk Shahrir Samad, MP for Johor Baru and former Minister of Domestic Trade and Consumer Affairs says, “I think that as an MP, the pay we receive is sufficient. But then again, I am not a single-income MP.” He receives a pension as a former minister and had a laundry business.He adds: “It depends very much on your lifestyle. If moderate, it would be sufficient. However, we do receive many requests for contributions and donations and it does not allow us to be too generous when handing them out.”Wong Nai Chee, former Kota Melaka MP and MCA national youth central committee member says, “There is no reason for us to complain. If compared to overseas, our cost of living is not as high. It all depends on how you use it.”He says that if an MP were to have an office and to engage five or six staff, then they would be running into a deficit, but if solely for personal expenditure, it is adequate.Cost of serviceSubang MP Sivarasa Rasiah says that an MP takes home about RM13,000 a month, with fixed allowances taken into account.Wong shares that if allowances for attending official functions, Parliament sittings and others are claimed, it can go up to about RM16,000.It appears that the biggest expense an MP has to pay for is running a service centre. According to Kelana Jaya MP Loh Gwo-Burne, it can cost about RM5,000 each month.“Rental alone is about RM1,500, staff about RM1,500, overheads about RM1,000 and other expenses,” he says.Loh says he receives about RM50,000 for office expenses and RM100,000 a year for contributions from the Selangor state government. However, Sivarasa says that MPs are supposedly entitled to receive RM1mil a year from the Government, but he has been unable to obtain it so far.If an MP were to rely solely on the allowance, he may not have any extra money to spend.“There are masses to look after, and a lot of expenses. Very often I had to pay for things from my own pocket,” says Wong.Tajuddin shares his sentiments.“Each constituency has electorate numbering in the tens of thousands. Every time I go back to my constituency, streams of people come to me with all kinds of problems. Most need financial assistance for hospital, school or maybe utility bills, and some of them for basic household needs like rice and sugar.“Many are jobless, and if they want to start a small petty business, they cannot borrow money as no financial institution will give loans to them. And it’s hard to refuse requests for help.“You can’t say you don’t have money. Normally I do give something. We cannot give much but if they come with a request for RM500, maybe I will give RM100. Sometimes I dig so deep into my own pocket that there is a hole in it,” he quips.MPs would certainly like to have a pay rise but are practical in knowing that it would be hard to come by.“In fact, if possible, Malaysians want to see their representatives getting less – the less , the better,” says Tajuddin.Wong believes that raising the remuneration depends on many factors.“It depends on the economy of the country. We should not raise income for the sake of doing so but when MPs are underpaid and overworked, it becomes a necessity.”Wong says that holding public office is a huge social responsibility and the remuneration should therefore not be too far away from what the private sector is paying.“They should be paid enough so they can maintain their integrity and not be open to corruption.”Sivarasa says that the current remuneration structure puts a real strain on finances.“MPs who do not have additional income have to find a legal source of income, otherwise some may be tempted to accept bribes.“As a political party, we have no choice but to source for donations, and that helps us to some extent,” he says, revealing that he still maintains the legal practice he had before he became an MP.Tajuddin, however, finds his public office too time consuming for anything else.“If I am serving people for eight hours a day, it leaves me only one or two hours for some small business trading.“I would rather appeal for a bigger budget to serve the people. Then we are spared from spending our own money. We also have families and dependants to take care of.”Insufficient fundsSivarasa opines that what MPs receive right now is a fundamental flaw of the country.“It makes our Parliament backward . We have to emulate what other governments do, even in neighbouring countries like Indonesia or Thailand.“The Government should give parliamentarians more support and the capacity to do the job,” he says, adding that funds should be given to run a service centre with proper secretarial and research staff.If public service as an MP or minister is not financially rewarding compared to the potential earning in the private sector, why do they do it?Says Fong, “With public service, you get satisfaction. The private sector is profit-driven, but I am driven by service to the people.”The case is similar with Shahrir.“What I get in public service is definitely less than my income from private business. But there is a sense of social responsibility to serve the people and that is what motivates me,” he says.As for new minister Idris Jala, he told reporters after his swearing in as a senator on Monday that he was happy to be appointed a senator and he would work hard to carry out his “national service’’.

Star Online

'Lab' Test For KPI's Before Roll Out

By V. Vasudevan

PUTRAJAYA: The government is taking a different approach to find new ideas to implement its key performance indicators.This will involve its newly formed Performance Management and Delivery Unit (Pemandu) doing extensive experimentation before implementing any ideas so that the initiatives are achieved.Minister in the Prime Minister's Department Datuk Seri Idris Jala said the old method of forming a task force was outdated because "when we implement the ideas we find problems coming up".Under the new approach, he said there would be a lot of discussions about any idea before we implement.Ministers in the Prime Minister’s Department Tan Sri Dr Koh Tsu Koon (left) and Datuk Seri Idris Jala explaining the eight ‘laboratories’ that will find new ways to implement the key performance indicators.Ministers in the Prime Minister’s Department Tan Sri Dr Koh Tsu Koon (left) and Datuk Seri Idris Jala explaining the eight ‘laboratories’ that will find new ways to implement the key performance indicators."The problem is identified in the 'laboratory' before we implement any idea."He said that over the next 100 days Pemandu would be setting up eight "laboratories".Six will focus on the National Key Results Areas while of the other two, one will focus on 1Malaysia and Unity and the other on data management.Idris said the eight NKRA laboratories would start simultaneously next month. Each one will have 20 participants, drawn from the best in the civil service."They will work towards clearly defined deliverable goals with highly transparent and intensive monitoring of progress," he said at a joint press conference with Minister in the Prime Minister's Department in charge of National Unity and Performance Management Tan Sri Dr Koh Tsu Koon here yesterday.Idris said the laboratories would build on work done, experience and insight gained by members of the civil service, with participants adopting intense open debates and a "hands on deck" approach.Once the laboratories were completed, he said an "open house" would be held to present the findings to interest groups like non-governmental organisations, the media and the public for feedback.Once the findings and results were complete the implementation phase would be launched."The implementation phase will include the roll-out of the 1Malaysia government transformation road-map, giving a comprehensive overview of the government's priorities, including broader reform and delivery efforts as delivery plans for each of the six NKRAs."Idris said the roadmap would be released beginning of next year.Earlier, Koh said Pemandu would adopt a hybrid model manned by the brightest from the civil service and private sector.He said the recruitment for Pemandu had begun with advertisements appearing in major dailies yesterday.

NST Online

Najib Begins Push To Transform Government

By Syed Jaymal Zahiid

PUTRAJAYA, Sept 15 - The Najib administration unveiled an ambitious road map today for what is being touted as its Government Transformation Programme (GTP) to equip civil servants with “radical, practical and innovative” solutions to increase efficiency.The two men handpicked to oversee the project – Tan Sri Dr. Koh Tsu Koon and Datuk Seri Idris Jala, announced an outline today of the plan that will see public and private sector particpation as well as a concerted effort to seek public feedback.The GTP is part of Datuk Seri Najib Razak’s initiative to objectify its key performance indicators (KPIs) by fulfilling the six identified National Key Results Area or NKRA.Pemandu, or the Performance Management and Delivery Unit, will be the vehicle leading the GTP.“It is a hybrid organisation,” said Idris who has been appointed as Pemandu CEO.“The composition will be of the best of those from the private and public sectors.”Idris said Pemandu will focus on three priority activities. One of them will be to conduct “labs” on each of the six NKRAs and two other focus areas.“The labs will build on work done, experience and insight gained by members of the civil service, with participants adopting intense open debates and hands-on deck approach,” said Idris in his Pemandu presentation to the media.The objectives of the “labs” is to better equip civil servants with “radical, practical and innovative” solutions as part of the government effort to increase efficiency.The “labs” will be begin as early as next month and will continue until November.Datuk Seri Najib Razak is also keen on “revolutionising” governance by introducing the “Open House” initiative, a programme to encourage participation from members of the public in providing inputs on how to realise the GTP.The third activity would be the roll-out of a 1Malaysia government transformation roadmap that will detail the priorities and delivery plans for each of the NKRAs.“The roadmap will be followed by a the publication of annual reports to update the public on delivery progress against announced plans and targets. It will be distributed to the public as printed copies or online viewing on government websites,” said Idris.Both the Open House and 1Malaysia roadmap will start early next year.On Pemandu’s structure, Idris said he had not yet finalised the manpower required but has begun recruiting.It is expected to be fully operational by early 2010.

Najib Breaks Down GLC-Government Walls

By Lee Wei LianPUTRAJAYA, Sept 15 — Prime minister Datuk Seri Najib Razak wants a more seamless environment between government linked companies (GLCs) and the government and this evening he unveiled an exchange programme where selected GLC staff will be seconded to the government and vice versa.The initiative, called the Government-GLC cross fertilisation programme, comes right after Najib proposed earlier today to open up key positions in the government to talent from the private sector and GLCs in an attempt to modernise the civil service.The proposal, said the prime minister, was part of structural changes to the civil service Where the best would be selected in an attempt benefit from the “cross fertilisation” process between talents from the civil service and the private sector.”Why don’t we develop a seamless system and do a mutual exchange of the best from the GLCs and the government? Why don’t we engage in this cross fertilisation so that we produce high performing leaders of the future,” said Najib after meeting with the Putrajaya Committee on GLC High Performance.The first batch of about 40 staff were selected to participate in the cross fertilisation process today .Participating GLCs and government linked investment companies include Khazanah Nasional Bhd. Lembaga Tabung Haji, Axiata Group, Malaysia Airlines, Proton Holdings, Pos Malaysia, Telekom Malaysia and UEM Group.The prime minister this evening echoed his earlier speech about the risks of being “too dogmatic” when transforming the civil service.He said Malaysia was fortunate to have inherited the British system and not the French or Spanish system but the drawback of such a system was that it was too “compartmentalised” and the nation should not get caught up in a “rigid system”.“The system has served us well in the past but the world has become more complex and inter-connected. The same system cannot serve us well in a more sophisticated world.”Najib has been on a mission to improve the government’s public delivery system since taking office, having identified it as one the main arouses against the Barisan Nasional.The Najib administration had also earlier announced its Government Transformation Programme headed by Tan Sri Koh Tsu Koon and Datuk Seri Idris Jala to help realise key performance indicators it had set for itself.He also admitted that there was a need for the government to justify the high expenses of RM41 billion to maintain the civil service last year.“The time has come for key positions in the public sector to be opened to talents from the private sector and GLCs and from services other than the administrative and diplomatic service.“Under this concept, we would be able to benefit from ‘cross fertilisation’ process between talents from the civil service and private sector,” said Najib to thousands of civil servants at a special assembly here.He asked the civil service to emulate the career development plan and head hunting process practiced by Petronas, PNB and Bank Negara in order to attract the best talent.He also wanted civil servants to be seconded to GLCs for better exposure to the private sector.In improving services, Najib wanted operational procedures to be revamped to ensure efficiency.

KSN : Segelintir Sahaja Yang Berpolitik

Ketua Setiausaha Negara (KSN), Tan Sri Sidek Hassan mengakui bahawa terdapat elemen-elemen dalam perkhidmatan awam yang terpengaruh dengan politik ketika menjalankan tugas mereka."Saya tidak menafikannya," kata Sidek ketika menjawab soalan Malaysiakini dalam wawancara di pejabatnya di Putrajaya selasa lalu.Namun begitu, beliau berkata, sebahagian besar kakitangan kerajaan sentiasa menjalankan tugas mereka dengan sebaik mungkin.Beliau juga memuji pertubuhan media yang melaporkan tentang masalah dalam perkhidmatan awam dan menggalakkan mereka untuk terus berbuat demikian.Bagaimanapun, katanya, penghargaan juga harus diberikan kepada mereka yang layak menerimanya.Beliau juga berharap media alternatif turut menghargai sumbangan majoriti kakitangan awam yang telah menjalankan tugas mereka dengan baik.Dalam wawancara tersebut, Sidek turut menjawab soalan mengenai perkara-perkara yang berkaitan dengan perkhidmatan awam, terutama mengenai soal kecekapan dan masalah rasuah.

CUEPACS Berterima Kasih Kepada Kerajaan Atas Bantuan Khas Kewangan

KUALA LUMPUR, 9 Sept (Bernama) -- Kongres Kesatuan Pekerja-pekerja Dalam Perkhidmatan Awam (CUEPACS) berterima kasih kepada kerajaan atas pemberian bantuan khas kewangan RM500 kepada penjawat awam kumpulan sokongan seperti yang diumumkan Rabu."Kami berterima kasih kepada kerajaan atas pemberian itu tetapi kami juga kecewa kerana menjangkakan sebulan bonus kepada semua penjawat awam," kata setiausaha agungnya Ahmad Shah Mohd Zin ketika dihubungi.Beliau berharap kerajaan akan menggantikannya dengan bonus yang lebih tinggi tahun depan.Kira-kira 860,000 penjawat awam akan menerima bayaran khas kewangan itu yang akan dibuat sebanyak dua kali iaitu RM250 dibayar sebelum Aidilfitri manakala bakinya pada Disember.Dalam satu kenyataan, Perdana Menteri Datuk Seri Najib Tun Razak mengumumkan pemberian khas itu yang dibuat selepas mengambil kira kebajikan penjawat awam dalam kumpulan itu terutama bagi meringankan beban kos persediaan musim perayaan dan persekolahn akhir tahun ini.Implikasi kewangan kepada kerajaan bagi bayaran itu adalah sebanyak RM430 juta.

Bernama Online

Berita@INTURA September 2009

Sila klik imej di bawah untuk paparan sebenar

Kerajaan Kaji Bonus Kakitangan Awam

KUALA LUMPUR: Datuk Seri Najib Razak berkata, kerajaan sedang berbincang dengan Cuepacs mengenai tuntutan bayaran bonus untuk kakitangan awam pada tahun ini.Sehubungan itu, Perdana Menteri berkata, Ketua Setiausaha Negara (KSN), Tan Sri Mohd Sidek Hassan sedang dalam perundingan mengenai perkara itu."Tunggulah...KSN tengah berbincang dengan Cuepacs," katanya pada sidang media selepas meninjau keadaan kuarters Jabatan Kerja Raya (JKR) di di Batu 2 1/2 Jalan Cheras kira-kira setengah jam, di sini, semalam.Sementara itu, Presiden Cuepacs, Omar Osman percaya kerajaan akan memberi keputusan positif mengenai bonus atau wang sagu hati kepada kira-kira 1.2 juta kakitangan awam untuk tahun ini.Beliau berkata, Cuepacs berharap bonus kali ini dibayar sebelum Aidilfitri.Katanya, pihaknya sudah menghantar surat mengenai tuntutan bonus itu baru-baru ini kepada Najib untuk mendapatkan pertimbangan sewajarnya."Kita belum mendapat reaksi balas mengenai perkara itu tetapi Cuepacs berharap kerajaan tidak mengecewakan harapan 1.2 juta kakitangan awam terutama bagi mereka yang berada dalam Kumpulan Sokongan Satu dan Dua yang amat mengharapkan sedikit sumbangan untuk persediaan menyambut Aidilfitri."Cuepacs tidak memaksa...terserah kepada kerajaan berapa jumlah sanggup dibayar (bonus atau sagu hari). Yang penting kita (kakitangan awam) dapat menikmatinya dan kalau dibayar sebelum raya lagi bagus," katanya ketika dihubungi di sini, semalam.Tahun lalu, setiap kakitangan kerajaan menerima bonus sebulan gaji atau sekurang-kurangnya RM1,000.Omar berkata, Majlis Tertinggi Cuepacs akan bermesyuarat Selasa ini bagi membincangkan lebih lanjut mengenai permintaan bonus atau sagu hati tahun ini.

Memerdekakan Etika Perkhidmatan Awam

Oleh Abd Razak HussinMutu modal insan mampu bentuk masyarakat negara majuSEMALAM kita baru saja meraikan Hari Kemerdekaan Ke-52, ketika kemuliaan Ramadan. Daripada tazkirah, berbuka puasa, solat, berdoa, bersajak, nyanyian lagu-lagu patriotik, deklamasi puisi yang sungguh bersemangat sehingga sama-sama mengira detik 31 Ogos, pemimpin dan rakyat jelata mengibar bendera kecil. Persoalannya, selepas ini, apa?Persoalannya, selepas 52 tahun kemerdekaan kita, semakin utuhkah pegangan kita terhadap nilai dan etika yang diterima pakai sebagai satu cabaran dalam penjelmaan Malaysia yang maju pada 2020 nanti? Penulis sering berkesempatan berkongsi pandangan dengan kakitangan atau pegawai muda di universiti mengenai nilai dan etika dalam perkhidmatan awam. Biasanya perkongsian itu berlaku dalam kursus induksi, orientasi pegawai baru atau persediaan menduduki peperiksaan tahap kecekapan.Secara umumnya, nilai dan etika difahami sebagai kepercayaan dan keyakinan seseorang terhadap seseorang, sesuatu atau institusi bagi mematuhi peraturan, pilihan dan pegangan masyarakat. Kepercayaan dan keyakinan ini menjadi panduan, ikatan, pedoman, tindakan, amalan dan pertimbangan yang berteraskan sesuatu rujukan.Tentunya dalam konteks masyarakat kita, teras nilai dan etika itu berasaskan agama dan budaya kita sendiri yang tidak bercanggah dengan pegangan dan keyakinan umum. Mengapakah persoalan ini masih perlu dibicarakan, sedangkan kita semua orang Timur, yang memiliki agama, ada budaya dan pegangan yang kuat.Kita dikenali sebagai masyarakat yang bersantun, berbudi bahasa dan berkeperibadian halus. Ada yang menjawab, kerana pelanggaran terhadap nilai dan etika yang berlaku, sebagai langkah mengingatkan semula dan sebagai usaha memperkukuhkan keyakinan.Bagi penulis, semuanya benar. Lebih daripada itu, inisiatif ini juga adalah suatu pendidikan yang berterusan. Manusia kerap kali terlupa dan terlalai. Seperti ungkapan yang sering kita dengar, 'manusia mudah lupa.'Semua usaha ini adalah untuk memastikan serta meninggikan tahap integriti dan akauntabiliti kakitangan awam dan seterusnya memberikan keyakinan masyarakat terhadap sektor itu sendiri.Bukan tidak pernah kita mendengar, termasuk menerusi media massa, kakitangan sektor awam yang dibicarakan di mahkamah kerana pertuduhan rasuah, memplagiat karya orang lain, membuat tuntutan palsu, menjual maklumat sebut harga atau tender, menyalahgunakan kedudukan dan kemudahan pejabat untuk kepentingan peribadi, merakam waktu masuk dan keluar pejabat untuk orang lain, memfitnah dan mengumpat rakan sekerja untuk menghalang kenaikan pangkat, memburukkan pemimpin dan pekerja sendiri dan menjalin hubungan intim yang berlebihan dengan staf di bawah seliaan.Kita juga mendengar, ada kakitangan yang sengaja melewatkan kerja dalam waktu pejabat supaya mereka boleh melakukan kerja di luar waktu dan boleh membuat tuntutan kerja lebih masa. Ada kakitangan yang sengaja menjadikan kerja lebih masa sebagai satu sumber pendapatan tetap selain gaji bulanan.Ini sekadar beberapa contoh yang dianggap pelanggaran nilai dan etika dalam sektor awam. Ada juga kita dapati orang menghantar e-mel 'layang' menggunakan alamat e-mel yang tidak dikenali dan tidak menjawab salam atau sapaan orang yang dianggap lebih rendah daripada kita sedangkan kita tahu salam itu suatu doa.Kita juga perhatikan, ada hadirin atau pelajar dalam majlis syarahan atau kuliah yang berbual sesama sendiri ketika syarahan dan kuliah berlangsung, ahli mesyuarat yang tidak memberi perhatian sebaliknya asyik berSMS, ahli mesyuarat yang tidak bersetuju dengan keputusan mesyuarat, tetapi ketika perbincangan tidak pula menyuarakan rasa tidak puas hati, sebaliknya membuat 'bising' di luar mesyuarat.Yang lebih buruk ialah menyampaikan keputusan mesyuarat kepada pihak yang tidak berkenaan sebelum minit disahkan dan dibenarkan untuk pendedahan awam. Barangkali kita menganggap perkara ini kecil dan enteng saja tetapi sebenarnya mempunyai kesan yang amat besar meskipun pelakunya hanyalah segelintir.Pelanggaran terhadap nilai dan etika itu menyebabkan tidak berlaku keadilan kepada pihak yang berhak, masyarakat berasa tertipu, duit rakyat dan negara yang disumbang menerusi cukai tidak digunakan sewajarnya, manfaat kepada rakyat terbanyak terjejas, ketirisan perbendaharaan negara, gaji kepada kakitangan awam tidak sepadan khidmat yang dijangkakan, hubungan interpersonal yang tidak harmoni, suasana tempat kerja yang penuh prasangka, tandus kepemimpinan yang boleh diteladani, imej organisasi yang merudum dan akhirnya reputasi kerajaan yang memerintah dipersoalkan rakyat jelata dan masyarakat dunia.Persoalan besar yang sering penulis ketengahkan apabila membicarakan nilai dan etika ialah soal penghormatan. Penghormatan pula harus bermula daripada dalam diri setiap orang secara menyeluruh.Tanggungjawab yang jelas, justifikasi mengapa tanggungjawab harus dilaksanakan dan kepada siapa pertanggungjawaban akhir, kitalah yang akan menentukan tahap keikhlasan kita. Iltizam yang kuat dan kepemimpinan yang boleh diteladani akan memastikan nilai serta etika dalam organisasi mampu diterjemahkan secara nyata dan menyeluruh.Penulis masih berkeyakinan, sekiranya asas-asas ini teguh dan utuh, cabaran untuk melihat pembentukan sebuah masyarakat yang kukuh ciri moral dan etikanya, mempunyai nilai keagamaan dan kerohanian yang teguh dan ditunjangi budi pekerti luhur pada 1 Januari 2020, akan mampu dicapai di negara ini.Penulis ialah Ketua Pejabat Perhubungan Awam dan Korporat Universiti Kebangsaan Malaysia