PUTRAJAYA, June 25 – Prime Minister Datuk Seri Najib Tun Razak will decide on bonus payment for civil servants this year, Chief Secretary of the Government Tan Sri Dr Ali Hamsa (photo) said yesterday.
He said the decision would be made by Najib in his capacity as the Finance Minister in conjunction with the tabling of the 2014 Budget scheduled for Oct 25.
“I think the government will decide on that when it prepares the 2014 Budget. The PM himself will make the decision.”
Dr Ali said this in response to the call made by the Congress of Unions of Employees in the Public and Civil Services (Cuepacs) for the government to give a more than one and a half-month bonus to 1.4 million civil servants this year.
Yesterday, Cuepacs president Datuk Omar Osman made the call and said that it was hoped at least a half-month bonus would be paid before the upcoming Hari Raya Aidilfitri.
Last year, civil servants received a one and a half-bonus, which was paid in three installment namely before Hari Raya Aidilfitri, in December and in January this year.
Earlier, Dr Ali attended the presentation ceremony of the Excellence Service Award 2012 at the Putrajaya International Convention Centre here.
A total of 1,374 government employees from 42 departments/agencies/divisions under the Prime Minister’s Department received the award.
In his speech, Dr Ali, who celebrates his one year anniversary as the Chief Secretary to the Government today, called on the civil servants to be more sensitive to the people’s requirements by taking proactive measures to reach out to them through the Search and Assist Programme.
“Civil servants should reach out to the people in a bid to solve their problems and bring the public service to them.
“This is indeed a new approach where we should not wait for the people to come to us, but instead we should reach out to them,” he said.
He also welcomed any feedback, opinion and constructive suggestions from the civil servants to improve the public service delivery system.
“We must be contactable and approachable. I hope the feedback and suggestions can be made through appropriate channels,” he added.
-BERNAMA
