IF the Ministry of Finance wants to review some items under the RM250 billion economic stimulus package to tackle the Covid-19 pandemic, I have at least one suggestion.
It’s about the RM500 one-off payment to 1.5 million civil servants and 850,000 pensioners to be made this month that would cost the government RM1.17 billion.
This might look like a small percentage of the overall amount but think again. The Treasury is already spending about RM10 billion monthly to pay civil servants and pensioners; why is there an urgent need to fork out another billion or so for this one-off thing?
A former finance minister once told me that his biggest headache, and the ministry’s as well, during his tenure was balancing salaries and pensions.
Unlike private sector employees, civil servants are a pampered lot and the envy of many. There is no retrenchment or layoff in the civil service as what we are going to see in huge numbers in the private sector especially among small and medium-sized enterprises.
Their job security is assured.
Rain or shine, civil servants and pensioners are spared of woes such as late salary payments that are seen in the private sector. Pensions are paid a week before the month-end.
Another aspect of the one-off payment that needs review is that it’s also going to benefit civil servants in Grades 56, 54, 52, 48 and 44. Those in these grades are in higher income categories and can do without this payment.
Our civil service has always been described by many analysts as bloated and to top it, the pension age of civil servants has gone through three upward revisions in the last decade or so.
From the original 55, it was upped to 56, then 58 and finally to 60.
One-off payments under the stimulus package are intended as extra pocket money for the recipients under the movement control order (MCO) till April 14.
But in the case of civil servants, their out of pocket expenses would be lower during the MCO because the majority are at home and can save on transport and meals.
The RM1.17 billion for this incentive would go a long way if re-allocated to the tens of thousands on the frontline from the Ministry of Health and support staff, who are giving their blood, sweat and tears saving the lives of thousands who test positive for the disease.
Words cannot do justice to describe these unsung heroes who are risking their lives coming face to face with carriers of the deadly virus.
And they are also working well beyond normal hours to handle thousands of others who are being tested at hospitals.
Yes, the frontliners are getting payments from the stimulus package but they could get much more for their sacrifices compared with their stay-at-home counterparts.
The money could also go a long way to help put food on the table for the jobless and self-employed during the MCO period.
There are so many sob stories on social media about people, who even in normal times could hardly make ends meet and are now in dire straits.
One video is heartrending. Former TV3 anchorwoman, Ras Adiba Radzi, posted a clip of a woman pleading for some food as she had not eaten for a few days!
Ras Adiba said at that time she only had some dry fruits in her car and gave some to the hungry woman who then asked for one ringgit.
“I asked her what the one ringgit was for, she told me that it was for buying a bottle of water,” said Ras Adiba with tears on her cheeks.
Such stories have prompted personalities like former Bank Negara deputy governor Tan Sri Dr Lin See Yan to appeal to the government to disburse cash without delay to the needy.
“Bear in mind, gig workers, self-employed workers and small businesses such as hawkers need money now to buy essential goods,” he said. “If they close down, most of them would not be able to restart.”
Lin appealed to the prime minister to marshal the civil service to get the cash disbursed as soon as possible. Dip into the federal reserve if you must,” he said.
This appeal could not be more compelling because although the PM has given an assurance no one will be left behind, the devil in virtually all noble plans of the government has been the implementation or the roll-out.
To cite another example, the SME Association of Malaysia president Datuk Michael Kang said SMEs, a backbone of our economy, do no benefit much from the stimulus package.
He can’t hide his disappointment with the package and predicts that at least 50% of the SMEs will close down.
“The stimulus package is good for the rakyat but not for businesses. They will collapse as there is nothing much that would benefit the SMEs,” said Kang.
And with it, he brings this devastating news – up to four million people are likely to lose their jobs!
The New Straits Times, in an editorial, warns about the fate of the other four million people in the country – the migrant workers.
The government has to see to it that their employers as far as possible don’t abandon them in these critical times.
These are the people who helped build this nation. Just look at the concrete jungle of Kuala Lumpur and the country’s preponderance of construction cranes where developers make a killing from high-rise property.
Why didn’t they in such times as these, not come up with their own package?
Just look at the cramped living conditions of workers at construction sites that might be new breeding grounds for Covid-19.
The NST says with the MCO-enforced unemployment, their employers and agents will pass the buck from one to the other while enjoying the government’s stimulus package.
The International Organisation for Migration wants their lives protected, their livelihood guaranteed and that they get social protection.
In the coming days, all those tasked with the superhuman roll-out of the package have to get their priorities right and with the minimum bureaucracy possible especially to the teeming tens of thousands who are helpless and hopeless.
Comments: letters@thesundaily.com
