SUNGAI BULOH: The Congress of Unions of Employees in the Public and Civil Services (Cuepacs) has expressed disappointment that employees of the Armed Forces Ex-Servicemen Affairs Corporation (Perhebat) are being denied benefits enjoyed by civil servants in other government agencies.
Cuepacs president Datuk Azih Muda said Prime Minister Datuk Seri Najib Razak had in 2013 acknowledged and approved four demands made by Statutory Bodies with Separate Remuneration (BBDS), but these demands have yet to be met for Perhebat.
Perhebat is part of BBDS.
The four demands were for a pension fund for BBDS; a one-off payment at the end of their service; a fixed housing allowance; and a standardised Employees Provident fund (EPF) contribution rate.
“We are saddened that Perhebat employees are deprived of benefits such as eligibility to apply for housing and car loans as well as medical benefits.
“Perhebat is a 300-strong government entity, not a private organisation. It is also a wholly-owned subsidiary of the Armed Forces Fund Board (LTAT) which falls under the Defence Ministry but why are the employees being sidelined like this?”
“They were promised many benefits before transitioning from the Defence Ministry to Perhebat but they did not get what they were promised,” he told reporters at Perhebat Complex, Sungai Buloh camp.
Azih urged the government to ensure that the allocation Perhebat deserved would not be reduced and consider granting wage increments or additional allowances for the employees.
“Perhebat is not a business entity and is needed to train servicemen in the armed forces. The organisation is a Cuepacs affiliate so they deserve to get what other civil servants in other agencies are getting.
“In fact, they are behind in terms of benefits compared to the other bodies in BBDS such as Lembaga Tabung Haji (LTH), Bank Simpanan Nasional (BSN) and the Social Security Organisation (Perkeso),” he said, adding that there was no expected timeline for the demands to be met.