Cuepacs accepts govt decision not to give bonus

Cuepacs has accepted the government decision not to pay a bonus of two months’ salary to the 1.2 million civil servants this year after getting clarification from Datuk Seri Najib Tun Razak today.

Its president, Omar Osman said the Prime Minister, however, gave an assurance that he would look into the payment of an additional bonus of RM500 in the near future if the economic situation permitted it.

“The Prime Minister also gave an assurance that he would consider the payment of the two months’ bonus as requested by the congress if the country’s economic situation recovered later.

“This matter is under consideration by the Prime Minister, but in the near future we hope there is an addition of RM500 for civil servants to receive RM1,000 in December,” he told reporters after a meeting of about one hour with the Prime Minister at Parliament House, here today.

For civil servants with the rank of ‘Jusa’ and above, Omar said the Prime Minister also agreed to consider the request of the congress to allow an income tax reduction of up to 30 per cent.

Omar said that at the meeting, Najib explained that the government might have to borrow from other sources if it were to meet the demand of the congress.

Cuepacs had earlier requested that the government consider the payment of a bonus of two months’ salary for civil servants in the tabling of the 2010 Budget on Oct 23.

The government however announced that it would give a special payment of RM500 to government employees in grades 41-54 and its equivalent as well as government pensioners in December

At the meeting, the Prime Minister also agreed to increase the annual grant to Cuepacs to RM1 million beginning next year, he said. Last year, Cuepacs received RM350,000 to carry out its activities. – Bernama