Better disability pension benefits for civil servants

PUTRAJAYA: Civil servants who opted for a disability pension due to health reasons will be introduced to better retirement benefits this April, said Public Service Department director-general Tan Sri Zainal Rahim Seman.
He said following confirmation from the Medical Board, the civil servants who opt for early retirement would receive benefits similar to those who retire at the compulsory retirement age, based on a reasonable scheme.
"We need to implement a new regulation for civil servants who are unable to work due to health issues. If they are unfit to continue to work, it will affect the productivity of the civil service.
"As such, we will offer them retirement option with better pensions rather than terminating their service," Zainal Rahim told the media in the office here today.
He said the new regulation had been approved by Prime Minister Datuk Seri Najib Abdul Razak and would be tabled in Parliament next month.
Under the new scheme, civil servants who began work in April 2005 but were dismissed after working for 12 years and 23 days (compulsory retirement supposed to be in 2046) due to health reasons, would receive benefits totalling RM70,000, with a monthly pension of RM1,200.
With the implementation of the new legislation, Zainal Rahim anticipated more civil servants with health issues to opt for early retirement as they had been reluctant before due to concerns over schooling children and low pension. — Bernama