YOURSAY | Everyone should shoulder economic glut, including civil servants

Too many people applying for 'critical jobs', PSD defends allowance cuts

The Wakandan: The Public Service Department is right. Critical allowance, when it was introduced in the early 90s, was meant for posts with the demand exceeding supply. It was meant to be temporary, not permanent, until the government addresses this shortcoming.

Today we produce more doctors, nurses and those required in the critical allowance posts. Our universities and colleges churn out more employees than we need. Hundreds of thousands of nurses, for example, are jobless. How can that be critical anymore?

It would be selfish to demand for critical allowance, especially after considering there are government posts which do not receive them. How would they feel being discriminated?

Civil servants are some of the highest-paid employees today. The private sector can hardly match their salaries, perks and privileges.

The government should reduce the size of the civil service. Too much money is being spent for too little and inefficient service, which can be handled better by well-trained and sincere workers.

Rentap Returns: Yes, it’s time to wean government employees off handouts. Welcome to the real world.

How many times have I heard this from my workers - easy life just around the corner - and a few more handouts would make the slide from being a semi-lazy parasite to a totally useless parasite (adding reliance on family and added government benefits) so much easier.

Working in the civil service or government-linked companies does not mean a free ride. And if the salary is not correct, then get it fixed or tell them to stuff their job offer.

For example, everyone knows why the police force is so messed up. It’s because the salary is so low. They have to ask for tea money at every turn, including the top brass, allegedly. A total disgrace - which will be revealed in the up-and-coming Altantuya Shaariibuu case.

JusticeNow!: Malaysia is the only place in the world where civil servants are paid far better than the private sector for far less responsibilities.

Our public servants are bloated is an understatement. But, at the same time, critical services such as nurses and doctors are under-staffed because there is no money to employ more manpower.

This move by the Public Service Department is critical to ameliorate the situation by releasing more funds to employ these very much needed staff to provide better services.

Ipoh PP: The government has insufficient funds and that is why the Public Service Department made this move. It’s just selfish on the part of these civil servants when the government has to pay them when they don't have money.

These allowances were given when there was a critical shortage of manpower in certain services to attract applicants. Today, the applicants far outnumber the vacancies.

So why should they be paid for critical allowance? The government needs to take a tougher stance with “lazy overpaid” civil servants.

Anonymous 2460851488616887: The allowances of those civil servants sitting in the office and not doing much should be cut. Doctors, nurses and those in the healthcare sector provide critical services, and they serve the general public well.

We have the biggest civil service per capita in the world, all because we produce graduates that are not employable. So the government has to employ them.

Yet, the current government continues to introduce non-relevant subjects and does not do anything to improve the education system.

Anonymous_8a8199e: How many percent of the applicants are Malays? I won’t be surprised if it’s 90 percent or more.

Warrant Addict: That 90 percent is old and outdated data, maybe 20-30 years ago when the government pay/allowance was not as attractive as private firms.

But now the government service looks so much better than the many private companies which are winding up.

Almost all applicants for government jobs are Malays who are competing like mad to join the government service. For example, vacancies for engineer positions in the civil sector are 852 but 169,435 people will apply.

So many are hungry to join the government service but nowadays it’s an employer’s market. Basic economics, excess supply than demand in the government job market triggering jobless graduates. So many degree and PhD holders hunting for jobs, too.

So the Public Service Department made the right decision. There’s no need to entice them anymore with critical allowance as introduced in 1992 (almost 30 years ago) when there is a glut of graduates for all types of jobs now.

This is a great saving of government funds.

Headhunter: The above-quoted figures on job applications tell us one thing, that we have a failed government.

How could so many professionals be looking for jobs? Things haven't improved since Pakatan Harapan came into the picture.

Right And Wrong: Harapan has failed to realise that what was given cannot be taken back until, of course, the country becomes bankrupt, which people assume will never happen.

This is the result of continuously increasing salaries of civil servants, introducing all kinds of allowances and, at the same time, employing more and more people in the government.

The government has increased the retirement age while the economy continues to slow down.

So, who is to blame for the glut in employment and forcing the end of critical allowance?

Clever Voter: The country can ill afford the rising cost of public sector payroll. Many want job security with perks, which the private sector cannot match.

However, one does not see this government being able to resolve the issue. The government has no answer, is too naive to even differentiate the differences and complexity.

Libra: Doctors and nurses provide essential work. The services of medical staff are provided 24 hours a day, 365 days a year. That is priority work.

And the government decides not to give the critical allowance, albeit for new hires.

Fine, can it let us know the salaries of the muftis and grave inspectors in the civil service? We can decide whether their salaries are fair or not.

The above is a selection of comments posted by Malaysiakini subscribers. Only paying subscribers can post comments. In the past one year, Malaysiakinians have posted over 100,000 comments. Join the Malaysiakini community and help set the news agenda. Subscribe now.

These comments are compiled to reflect the views of Malaysiakini subscribers on matters of public interest. Malaysiakini does not intend to represent these views as fact.