Cuepacs has asked for a salary revision. The percentage aside, it is a fair request. The purpose of this letter is to remind Cuepacs and the government not to leave the pensioners out.

Normally, when civil servants get a pay revision, the pensioners, too, get a rise in pension as well. I believe the approach will be the same this time too, as pensioners are even more affected by the high cost of living than those in service.

There has been a glaring anomaly in the calculation of pension rates and this has been taken up with the government many times. The government had at one time agreed to correct the unfairness but withdrew its offer immediately citing the bad economic situation then. If I am not mistaken, it was in 1997.

The anomaly is that the pension rate is calculated taking into the computation only a maximum of 25 years of service. Those who have served for more than 25 years get no pension based on their extra years of service.

Say one has worked for 30 years - only 25 years are taken into account for the calculation of the pension. No one will argue that this is fair.

It is hoped that Cuepacs and the government will give due consideration to this anomaly and make pensionable service reflect the full and actual term of service of the officer. If the government had contributed to the EPF for their employees for beyond 25 years, then, of course, there would not have been an issue for the employees involved.

Our PM was once a civil servant and it is hoped that he sympathises with those affected. Most of those with more than 25 years of service are those from lower categories who are most affected by today's high cost of living.