Showing posts with label Malaysian Insider. Show all posts
Showing posts with label Malaysian Insider. Show all posts
Tuesday, September 27, 2011
Private sector retirement age to go up
KUALA LUMPUR, Sept 26 — Private sector employees will be allowed to work until they are 64, with a minimum mandatory retirement age of 60 under a new law being drafted by the government.
The Private Sector Retirement Age Act will mandate retirement at 60, with an option for a four-year extension.
“This means that the retirement age will be raised from 55 to 60. A technical committee has met two or three times with the last coming just before Hari Raya,” Malaysian Trades Union Congress (MTUC) secretary-general Abdul Halim Mansor told The Malaysian Insider.
The Malaysian Insider understands that the change, which will benefit six million workers, will also require an amendment to the Employment and Employees Provident Fund Acts.
It is also understood that except for one employers’ representative, there has been unanimous agreement on the proposal.
Although the matter is being refined by the technical committee, Halim said the MTUC wants the welfare and benefits of employees to be given priority.
“We ask the government to take into account the shortcomings of the Employment Act when laws on private sector retirement age are introduced,” he said.
The private sector has followed the civil service’s original retirement age of 55 as there is no law mandating a retirement age.
Although the government has since raised the retirement age for civil servants to 58, the private sector has not followed suit.
MTUC has previously pressed the government to extend the retirement age to 60.
Wednesday, May 25, 2011
IPP subsidies cannot be removed, says Soi Lek
UPDATED @ 10:44:36 PM 24-05-2011
By Boo Su-LynMay 24, 2011
Dr Chua says with some agreements due to lapse, the government might have a window to start negotiations. — file picKUALA LUMPUR, May 24 — The government cannot remove billion-ringgit subsidies for independent power producers (IPPs) as it is tied up in agreements with them, MCA president Datuk Seri Dr Chua Soi Lek said today.
The DAP has said that the Najib administration would only spur inflation by removing the diesel super subsidy before cutting “big opium” gas subsidies worth RM19 billion for IPPs and commercial power sectors.
“Because the government is tied up in a lot of agreements, this cannot just be abolished like DAP says or (Datuk Seri) Anwar (Ibrahim) says,” Dr Chua told reporters today.
“Then Malaysia will be seen by the world as a government that does not honour its agreements. That’s wrong,” he added.
He said some of the agreements were due to lapse and the government could then start negotiations.
Anwar said yesterday that the multibillion-ringgit federal gas subsidy granted to IPPs through “lopsided agreements” would hamper Malaysia’s ability to curb rising inflation.
The opposition leader said the subsidy had not translated into lower electricity tariffs for consumers as Tenaga Nasional Bhd was contractually bound to buy the power at a premium that the IPPs generated.
Dr Chua said today that the government would negotiate its various agreements with IPPs in stages as their contracts had various dates of expiry.
“Some are (signed) 15 years ago, some are 20 years ago,” he said. “So when the time comes for the agreement to lapse, that’s when the government starts negotiating.”
Domestic Trade, Cooperatives and Consumerism Minister Datuk Seri Ismail Sabri Yaakob reportedly said the government would announce the decision on controversial subsidy cuts next week, even as pressure mounts for it to call off the exercise amid growing inflation.
Pakatan Rakyat has warned that “haphazard” cuts to subsidies may raise the price of food by as much as eight per cent this year. This would bring the people back to what Anwar described as “the pain of 2008.”
Despite their unpopularity, Putrajaya is expected to ram through the subsidy cuts, having given broad hints last week of the move.
Deputy Prime Minister Tan Sri Muhyiddin Yassin has said the government expects the subsidy burden to double from RM10.32 billion to RM20.58 billion this year.
Prime Minister Datuk Seri Najib Razak said fuel subsidies were “like opium” to the economy, and would have to be gradually cut as the initial bill of RM11 billion had soared to RM18 billion this year owing to escalating crude oil prices.
By Boo Su-LynMay 24, 2011
Dr Chua says with some agreements due to lapse, the government might have a window to start negotiations. — file picKUALA LUMPUR, May 24 — The government cannot remove billion-ringgit subsidies for independent power producers (IPPs) as it is tied up in agreements with them, MCA president Datuk Seri Dr Chua Soi Lek said today.
The DAP has said that the Najib administration would only spur inflation by removing the diesel super subsidy before cutting “big opium” gas subsidies worth RM19 billion for IPPs and commercial power sectors.
“Because the government is tied up in a lot of agreements, this cannot just be abolished like DAP says or (Datuk Seri) Anwar (Ibrahim) says,” Dr Chua told reporters today.
“Then Malaysia will be seen by the world as a government that does not honour its agreements. That’s wrong,” he added.
He said some of the agreements were due to lapse and the government could then start negotiations.
Anwar said yesterday that the multibillion-ringgit federal gas subsidy granted to IPPs through “lopsided agreements” would hamper Malaysia’s ability to curb rising inflation.
The opposition leader said the subsidy had not translated into lower electricity tariffs for consumers as Tenaga Nasional Bhd was contractually bound to buy the power at a premium that the IPPs generated.
Dr Chua said today that the government would negotiate its various agreements with IPPs in stages as their contracts had various dates of expiry.
“Some are (signed) 15 years ago, some are 20 years ago,” he said. “So when the time comes for the agreement to lapse, that’s when the government starts negotiating.”
Domestic Trade, Cooperatives and Consumerism Minister Datuk Seri Ismail Sabri Yaakob reportedly said the government would announce the decision on controversial subsidy cuts next week, even as pressure mounts for it to call off the exercise amid growing inflation.
Pakatan Rakyat has warned that “haphazard” cuts to subsidies may raise the price of food by as much as eight per cent this year. This would bring the people back to what Anwar described as “the pain of 2008.”
Despite their unpopularity, Putrajaya is expected to ram through the subsidy cuts, having given broad hints last week of the move.
Deputy Prime Minister Tan Sri Muhyiddin Yassin has said the government expects the subsidy burden to double from RM10.32 billion to RM20.58 billion this year.
Prime Minister Datuk Seri Najib Razak said fuel subsidies were “like opium” to the economy, and would have to be gradually cut as the initial bill of RM11 billion had soared to RM18 billion this year owing to escalating crude oil prices.
Tuesday, May 24, 2011
Najib tak pernah janji semua pelajar cemerlang biasiswa, tegas Nazri
Oleh Clara Chooi
May 24, 2011
KUALA LUMPUR, 24 Mei — Sementara rasa tidak puas hati terus meningkat dari pelbagai sudut, Datuk Seri Nazri Aziz menegaskan Putrajaya tidak pernah menjanjikan biasiswa kepada kesemua pelajar yang mencatatkan keputusan cemerlang dalam peperiksaan SPM untuk belajar di luar negara.
Sebaliknya kata beliau, kerajaan hanya komited untuk memastikan setiap pelajar cemerlang diberi jaminan tempat di institusi tempatan dan luar negara dengan biasiswa.
“Kami tidak pernah kata kesemua pelajar 9A+ akan dihantar ke luar negara.
“Tetapi kami ada menjanjikan bahawa mereka akan mendapat tempat sama ada di universiti tempatan atau luar negara,” kata Menteri di Jabatan Perdana Menteri ini ketika dihubungi The Malaysian Insider.
Nazri (gambar), yang bertanggungjawab ke atas soal biasiswa Jabatan Perkhidmatan Awam (JPA) bertuju bahawa kerajaan ada memperuntukkan 1,500 biasiswa luar negara kepada pelajar cemerlang tetapi menekankan bahawa daripada jumlah itu, hanya 300 diberi berdasarkan merit kepada mereka yang memperoleh 9A+.
Baki 1,200 geran luar negara, kata beliau, diagihkan kepada mereka yang layak mengikut empat kategori iaitu Bumiputera Sabah (lima peratus), Bumiputera Sarawak (lima peratus), komposisi sosial atau komposisi kaum (60 peratus) dan golongan kurang berada dari segi sosial (10 peratus).
Tambah beliau, biasiswa itu hanya akan dianugerahkan kepada pemohon-pemohon yang berjaya dalam temu bual kendalian JPA.
Bagaimanapun mereka yang tidak memenuhi syarat itu masih diberi biasiswa untuk belajar di universiti tempatan, kata Nazri.
Jelas beliau, buat masa sekarang daripada 360 pelajar yang tertakluk dalam kategori merit, hanya 300 diberi biasiswa manakala 60 gagal memperoleh biasiswa luar negara.
“Ini bermakna mereka mungkin atau mungkin tidak layak untuk memperoleh baki 1,200 geran yang disediakan. Ini bergantung pada prestasi ketika temu duga,” katanya.
“Kemungkinan mereka yang tidak memperolehnya, mungkin tidak menunjukkan prestasi yang baik ketika temu duga.
“Kami mengambil kira bukan sahaja keputusan mereka, tetapi juga aktiviti kokurikulum dan bagaimana mereka berjaya dalam temu duga,” kata beliau.
Bagaimanapun katanya, jika mereka gagal dalam temu duga, mereka masih akan memperoleh tempat di universiti tempatan.
Sehubungan itu, Nazri terus berhadapan dengan kritikan Ketua Pemuda MCA Datuk Dr Wee Ka Siong yang mendakwa wujud salah guna kuasa di JPA.
Wee, yang juga Timbalan Menteri Pelajaran, mengetuai protes dengan pada minggu lalu mendakwa 363 pelajar yang memperoleh kesemua A+ telah gagal memperoleh biasiswa meskipun Perdana Menteri Datuk Seri Najib Razak pada tahun lalu bersetuju agar kesemua pelajar yang merekodkan 8A+ dan ke atas akan menerima biasiswa JPA.
Penelitian The Malaysian Insider menunjukkan kenyataan Najib tahun lalu mendedahkan bahawa perdana menteri ada menjanjikan biasiswa kepada kesemua pelajar memperoleh 9A+ untuk belajar di universiti dalam dan luar negara.
“Jadi, jika anda tiada fakta, jangan bercakap. Saya ada ahli-ahli Parlimen pembangkang yang cuba membantu pelajar, datang berjumpa dengan saya... mereka tidak pergi kepada media.
“Tetapi Wee, sebagai MP BN dan seorang timbalan menteri, pergi kepada media dan menjerit di umum untuk publisiti murahan tanpa datang berjumpa saya untuk melihat isu yang sebenar,” kata Nazri.
May 24, 2011
KUALA LUMPUR, 24 Mei — Sementara rasa tidak puas hati terus meningkat dari pelbagai sudut, Datuk Seri Nazri Aziz menegaskan Putrajaya tidak pernah menjanjikan biasiswa kepada kesemua pelajar yang mencatatkan keputusan cemerlang dalam peperiksaan SPM untuk belajar di luar negara.
Sebaliknya kata beliau, kerajaan hanya komited untuk memastikan setiap pelajar cemerlang diberi jaminan tempat di institusi tempatan dan luar negara dengan biasiswa.
“Kami tidak pernah kata kesemua pelajar 9A+ akan dihantar ke luar negara.
“Tetapi kami ada menjanjikan bahawa mereka akan mendapat tempat sama ada di universiti tempatan atau luar negara,” kata Menteri di Jabatan Perdana Menteri ini ketika dihubungi The Malaysian Insider.
Nazri (gambar), yang bertanggungjawab ke atas soal biasiswa Jabatan Perkhidmatan Awam (JPA) bertuju bahawa kerajaan ada memperuntukkan 1,500 biasiswa luar negara kepada pelajar cemerlang tetapi menekankan bahawa daripada jumlah itu, hanya 300 diberi berdasarkan merit kepada mereka yang memperoleh 9A+.
Baki 1,200 geran luar negara, kata beliau, diagihkan kepada mereka yang layak mengikut empat kategori iaitu Bumiputera Sabah (lima peratus), Bumiputera Sarawak (lima peratus), komposisi sosial atau komposisi kaum (60 peratus) dan golongan kurang berada dari segi sosial (10 peratus).
Tambah beliau, biasiswa itu hanya akan dianugerahkan kepada pemohon-pemohon yang berjaya dalam temu bual kendalian JPA.
Bagaimanapun mereka yang tidak memenuhi syarat itu masih diberi biasiswa untuk belajar di universiti tempatan, kata Nazri.
Jelas beliau, buat masa sekarang daripada 360 pelajar yang tertakluk dalam kategori merit, hanya 300 diberi biasiswa manakala 60 gagal memperoleh biasiswa luar negara.
“Ini bermakna mereka mungkin atau mungkin tidak layak untuk memperoleh baki 1,200 geran yang disediakan. Ini bergantung pada prestasi ketika temu duga,” katanya.
“Kemungkinan mereka yang tidak memperolehnya, mungkin tidak menunjukkan prestasi yang baik ketika temu duga.
“Kami mengambil kira bukan sahaja keputusan mereka, tetapi juga aktiviti kokurikulum dan bagaimana mereka berjaya dalam temu duga,” kata beliau.
Bagaimanapun katanya, jika mereka gagal dalam temu duga, mereka masih akan memperoleh tempat di universiti tempatan.
Sehubungan itu, Nazri terus berhadapan dengan kritikan Ketua Pemuda MCA Datuk Dr Wee Ka Siong yang mendakwa wujud salah guna kuasa di JPA.
Wee, yang juga Timbalan Menteri Pelajaran, mengetuai protes dengan pada minggu lalu mendakwa 363 pelajar yang memperoleh kesemua A+ telah gagal memperoleh biasiswa meskipun Perdana Menteri Datuk Seri Najib Razak pada tahun lalu bersetuju agar kesemua pelajar yang merekodkan 8A+ dan ke atas akan menerima biasiswa JPA.
Penelitian The Malaysian Insider menunjukkan kenyataan Najib tahun lalu mendedahkan bahawa perdana menteri ada menjanjikan biasiswa kepada kesemua pelajar memperoleh 9A+ untuk belajar di universiti dalam dan luar negara.
“Jadi, jika anda tiada fakta, jangan bercakap. Saya ada ahli-ahli Parlimen pembangkang yang cuba membantu pelajar, datang berjumpa dengan saya... mereka tidak pergi kepada media.
“Tetapi Wee, sebagai MP BN dan seorang timbalan menteri, pergi kepada media dan menjerit di umum untuk publisiti murahan tanpa datang berjumpa saya untuk melihat isu yang sebenar,” kata Nazri.
Subscribe to:
Posts (Atom)
