'Civil servants can barely make ends meet' - Cuepacs

The Congress of Unions of Employees in the Public and Civil Services (Cuepacs) today said civil servants are subjected to stressful lifestyle, owing to the increasing cost of living and other demands placed upon them.

Cuepacs President, Datuk Azih Muda said the pressure faced by civil servants are largely attributed to the high standard of living apart from incremental household debts.

"I can conclude that most civil servants can barely make ends meet in 2015,” said Azih, after the congress meeting here today.

“Everyone is fighting to obtain the right opportunity. We view the country as a progressive country, but we are still embroiled with debts and forced to make loans with the cooperative … if we can’t afford to provide for the family.

Azih also expressed his displeasure especially when the government doesn’t seem to want to take any action especially when there had been unreasonable increase in prices of goods that were initially declared free from Goods and Services Tax (GST).

“What is more disappointing is that items prices have increased. Fees for some items that the government had labelled as zero-GST have too increased. Even though it is just for RM1, that amount can be deemed high for lower-income earners like us as well as ‘rakyat’ who live in the village and suburbs.

“Cuepacs regrets that the increased of prices are uncontrollable, and no one seemed to be able to control it, if it persists. We will be in trouble and the stress will get even serious. We are in the situation where the spending power is non-existent,” he stressed.

Apart from the rising cost of living, the rakyat is also singing a different tune.

Those in the Gred-40 and below earners are faced by more complications especially when they are ineligible to apply for any housing loans, thanks to demanding household debts.

Cuepacs also regret that the Public Sector Housing Financing Board (LPPSA) has fixed multiple regulations on civil servants to own their own homes.

“Until today, the mechanism of fixed pricing on housing isn’t made available by the government. The government should draw up a mechanism to fix housing prices, how much percentage of profit for developers based on current market rates and not speculation prices.

“Today, a unit of property is sold on speculation price. The higher the demand, the higher the price is fixed, but our role as an action group, those Gred-40 and below group, this is beyond our means, what more when LPPSA has fixed various conditions,” he said.

The government, said Azih must view the predicament of civil servants and must try its best to find measures to ease the burden of the people.