PUSAT SUMBER MAKLUMAT: February 2013

SANDAKAN: A study on the static salary of civil servants has been presented to the government for consideration by the Cabinet Salary Committee.

Chief Secretary to the Government Datuk Seri Dr Ali Hamsa said the study carried out jointly by his office and the Public Service Department was on problems in the civil service.

He said an evaluation on civil servants who were at maximum salary found they had scored between 80 and 85 points and above.

"It shows that civil servants carried out their duties well, despite reaching their maximum pay," he said in an interview programme with Radio Sandakan FM aired today.

The interview recorded via telephone was broadcasted at 9.50am.

According to Ali, the problem of static salary among government employees needed to be addressed, in line with current developments which pushed the cost of living and inflation in the country up, at a rate of one and a half per cent.

He said the proposal paper would also cover suggestions for a two to five per cent increase for civil servants who had reached their maximum salary.

According to him, the matter was being discussed at Cabinet level and Prime Minister Datuk Seri Najib Tun Razak would make an announcement soon.

He was confident the government would take note of the matter after approving a two per cent annual increment from this year for retired civil servants.

Ali said the prime minister was expected to announce the good news at his address to civil servants on March 1l in Putrajaya.

"We shall wait for the prime minister's announcement, as well as other incentives we have been waiting for," he added.

Ali said, another long-standing issue was on the 86 types of civil service allowance such as housing allowance, which had not been reviewed for a long time.

"We are looking at it and it may take more time as it has financial implications."

At the end of the programme, he urged civil servants nationwide to continue improving their service to the people and drive the country towards developed nation status by 2020.

Ali hoped civil servants would be more creative and innovative in serving the people. Bernama

NEW STRAITS TIMES

KUCHING: Civil servants have been warned against leaking government secrets to those bent on destroying the country.

Deputy Defence Minister Datuk Dr Abdul Latiff Ahmad said the Government would not compromise with anyone for leaking, distributing or falsifying confidential documents and sensitive information.

“I wish to remind all civil servants, especially those under the ministry’s purview, on the dangers of doing so.

“If our enemies or irresponsible people get hold of the nation’s defence secrets, we can expect danger to our country,” he said at the state Defence Department’s excellence service award and Jasamu Dikenang presentation here yesterday.

Dr Abdul Latiff said all heads of departments must take stern action and reprimand those careless enough or refuse to follow the rules and proper work procedures because this could lead to leakage of official and confidential government documents.

Civil servants could be punished under the Civil Servants Regulations 1993 or Official Secrets Act 1972 for leaking, distributing and falsifying government documents, he said.

“There have been some cases — around 0.01% of the country’s civil servants but majority of them understand and follow the laws governing their work etiquette.”

Asked if the army would be deployed to assist in keeping public order during the general election, Dr Abdul Latiff said they would not be involved at all.

“Only the police under the Home Ministry will be involved. For us in the Defence Ministry, it’s business as usual.”

He said the peace the country enjoyed had allowed the ministry to carry out community-based projects in rural Sarawak under the Jiwa Murni and National Blue Ocean Strategy.

Citing examples, he said, the army completed a road linking Lawas and Ba’Kelalan which cost about RM48mil as opposed to the Public Works Department’s estimation of RM400mil.

“It’s cheaper because the logistic, design and construction were all provided by the army at no additional cost because our men already have their salary.”

He added that the army was presently building the Ba’Kelalan-Bario road and would soon be involved in building houses and providing water supply to the rural poor.

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