Cuepacs calls for discussion to address COVID-19 health frontliners' allowance issue

Its president Adnan Mat said in a statement yesterday that bilateral talks between employers and workers would resolve the issue as a whole.

"The views and opinions of the unions or employee representatives should be taken into account to ensure the rights and welfare of frontline workers are well-protected.

"Therefore, Cuepacs hopes that the Health Ministry will review and duly consider to facilitate the payment of the COVID-19 allowance. Improvements should be made so that frontliners are not deprived of their rights," he said in a statement here yesterday.

Adnan was commenting on a media report yesterday on the bureaucratic requirement and the conditions which are seen as complicating for the Health Ministry's frontliners to make the claims.

Adnan also urged other government agencies and departments such as Royal Malaysia Police, the Malaysian Armed Forces, the Immigration and Customs Departments to cooperate in this matter and facilitate the payment of special allowances for their frontline personnel.

"The allowance provided by the government is a great morale booster. We should not dampen the spirit with bureaucracy, " he said.

Prime Minister Tan Sri Muhyiddin Yassin when announcing the Prihatin Rakyat Economic Stimulus Package on March 27 announced a special allowance increase from RM400 to RM600 for health workers such as doctors, nurses and other medical staff directly involved in the management and containment of COVID-19.

The government will also pay a monthly allowance of RM200 to the military, police, customs, immigration, Civil Defence Force and Rela personnel involved in enforcing the Movement Control Order. It will be paid from April 1 till the end of the pandemic.