Cuepacs wants govt to review SSM to meet current economic needs

KUALA LUMPUR: The Congress of Unions of Employees in the Public and Civil Services (Cuepacs) has called on the government to review the Malaysian Remuneration System (SSM) used by the civil service to meet the current economic needs and cost of living.

Cuepacs president Adnan Mat in a statement today said the SSM had not been reviewed or improved since its implementation in November 2002.

"The review of SSM needs to be done immediately as the scheme was formulated based on the economic situation and cost of living in 2002 and now it can be considered no longer relevant.

"In the last 19 years, we have faced the rising cost of living, including a sharp increase in prices of houses," read the statement.

He said the current starting salary in the government sector is RM1,200 excluding other allowances and it was still far below the country's new poverty line income (PGK) of RM2,208, adding that among the things that needed to be emphasised in the new SSM was the setting of a minimum salary of RM1,800.

"Cuepacs is ready to hold talks and discussions with the government to review and renew the SSM.

"A drastic action needs to be taken to review SSM so that the government's intention to improve the quality of public sector delivery services can be done more effectively," he said.

-- BERNAMA