KOTA BARU – The Congress of Unions of Employees in the Public and Civil Services (Cuepacs) urged the government not to forfeit the annual leave of 180,000 frontline workers who had worked throughout the Covid-19 pandemic.
Its president Adnan Mat said since the start of the movement control order on March 18 last year, workers have been unable to take annual leave amid efforts to ensure the community gets the necessary healthcare and vaccination.
“Cuepacs found that some leaves had been frozen and could not be used. As such, we urge the government to consider allowing workers to accumulate unused leave during the pandemic.
“We request that the government consider not forfeiting their leave within three years, but instead extend the period to five years or more, until when they are able to make use of their annual leave,” he told reporters after visiting the Dewan Sri Tunjong vaccination centre here today.
Adnan also proposed that payment be arranged in lieu of unused annual leave, as is done in Singapore.
“We also request that the leave balance be included together with the 15 rest days, as was the usual practice previously,” he said.
In another development, Adnan urged that the government consider a new remuneration system to improve the existing scheme in its 2022 budget, to be tabled on October 29.
“It is very important that the government provide a budget to meet the demands of civil servants and components in the new remuneration system, to ensure the minimum wage is raised for workers to be above the poverty line,” he said. – Bernama, September 5, 2021
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