| Azlan Othman |
LIVING expenses should be granted to workers in the private sector especially those with a salary of $2,000 and below, similar to what is given to officers and staff in the public sector.
This was stated by YB Orang Kaya Maha Bijaya Awang Haji Othman bin Uking, a Legislative Council (LegCo) member during the adjournment speech of the 12th LegCo Meeting yesterday.
According to the LegCo member, this is to lessen the burden amid increasing prices of local daily necessities which include fish and meat while encouraging the employee to stay and serve in the private sector, reducing unemployment in the country.
“But this proposal does not have to be implemented during this hard time when the nation is grappling with economic downturn caused by the drop in oil prices which has affected our revenue of up to 70 per cent, causing a huge budget deficit in the financial year of 2016-2017,” he said.
“The people understand the situation that the country is facing and such suggestions need to be taken into consideration after the nation recovers from such economic situation for the welfare of the people,” he added.
YB Orang Kaya Maha Bijaya Awang Haji Othman bin Uking, a Legislative Council member, said that in order to lessen the burden amid increasing prices of local daily necessities – which includes fish and meat – while encouraging employees to stay and serve in the private sector, living expenses should be granted to workers in the private sector. – AZROL AZMI
He added that public servants should be thankful for the assistance provided for living expenses which could assist them amid the increasing price of local necessities.
“I also call on the government to give additional perks to public servants who do not enjoy the pensionable scheme and Supplemental Contributory Pension (SCP) to appreciate their long service to the country and the people in jointly developing the nation,” he said.
YB Orang Kaya Maha Bijaya Awang Haji Othman concluded by saying that he is only relaying the grievances aired by the people at the LegCo Meeting. This is in line with the monarch’s titah which stated that the LegCo members are the channel to relay the people’s problems.
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