BUTTERWORTH: The country’s three customs officers’ associations have called for the Federal Government to improve on their enforcement officers’ service scheme.
Malaysia Customs Officer Association (KPKSM), Sawarak Customs Officer Association (KESPEKER) and Sabah Customs Officer Association (KESKES) said this was to ensure that the enforcement officers were renumerated according to the risks and demands of their jobs.
KPKSM president Mukthat Md Saman said it included changing the grade W (Monetary) classification to grade KW (Enforcement and Monetary). “We would like to upgrade the existing grade W17, W22 and W26 to KW29, with the highest being KW40.”
He said the grade change could serve as a motivation for the officers to continue give their best. “A memorandum on the suggested updated scheme will be handed over to Prime Minister Datuk Seri Najib Razak after the Chinese New Year celebration,” he told reporters in a press conference here yesterday.
Also present was The Congress of Unions of Employees in the Public and Civil Services (Cuepacs) president Datuk Azih Muda. Azih hoped that the customs officer would be granted insurance coverage by the Federal Government. “Many customs officers, especially the enforcement officers, are exposed to the risk of injuries while carrying out their duties and they fork out money from their own pockets to pay the medical bills.
“An insurance coverage will ease their financial burden. As we achieve a developed nation status in 2020 with a customs department with an international standard, we must also provide customs officers
with better incentives in terms of insurance coverage,” he said. Meanwhile, Cuepacs hoped that Angkatan Koperasi Kebangsaan Malaysia Berhad (Angkasa) would continue to manage pay-cuts of civil servants. “Angkasa has been doing a good job so far, so just let Angkasa continue its work. We do not want the civil servants’ pay-cuts to be handled by other banks or institutions,” he said.
