A meeting is to be held between the Public Services Department (PSD) and Cuepacs at the PSD office tomorrow to determine whether to postpone implementation of the Public Service New Remuneration (SBPA) scheme or extend the deadline for return of the option form.  

The decision to hold the meeting was reached at a meeting between Cuepacs president Omar Osman and Prime Minister Najib Abdul Razak at the Prime Minister’s Office, which was also attended by Cuepacs senior officials and union and PSD representatives.

Omar, who spoke to reporters after a meeting with Cuepacs members at Universiti Putra Malaysia (UPM) in Serdang, said the prime minister wanted the SBPA issue to be resolved amicably by the two sides.

“The prime minister wants the SBPA issue to be discussed by PSD and Cuepacs until a solution is reached, and only then implement it,” he said.

Meanwhile, PSD confirmed in a statement that it would have a meeting with Cuepacs to discuss all issues raised by the union.

PSD director-general Abu Bakar Abdullah, when contacted by Bernama last Thursday, said the period for signing of the option form would not be extended except for staff with valid reason.

In announcing the SBPA scheme when tabling Budget 2012 in the Dewan Rakyat in October, Najib said civil servants would receive a salary increase of between seven and 13 percent next year. 

Disagreement over several matters

Omar said Cuepacs did not totally reject the SBPA scheme but brought up the issue owing to disagreement over several matters. 

“For example, we were not consulted on the SBPA scheme whereas we were invited to discuss the Integrated Competency Development Programme (Prospek) to replace the Competency Level Assessment (PTK) and it went very well and we did a roadshow together,” he said.

Omar also said that some civil servants were unhappy with the upgrading and salary increase because they claimed the rise was too small.

“The grade improvement under the SBPA scheme is not consistent. There is improvement in some grades, but not in others. Why is there an increase for some staff but not for others?” he said.

Omar said he hoped that after the meeting with the PSD tomorrow and arriving at a solution, both sides can come to an agreement to go down to the ground together and brief the civil servants on the scheme instead of doing it separately like now.

He also reiterated his call to civil servants to postpone signing the option form just yet and wait for the outcome of the discussions between the PSD and Cuepacs.

However, the matter of those who have signed the form and handed it to their respective managements will be raised at tomorrow’s meeting, he said.

- Bernama