Junior Rank Police Officers' Overtime Allowance. Why Is The Government So Stingy?
Junior rank police officers want the government to revise their existing overtime allowances of RM100 and insurance coverage.
The Junior Rank Royal Malaysia Police Officers' Association Chairman Sub-Inspector Jamal Abdullah said it was time that the two matters be given attention considering the increasing workload and risks faced by police personnel. He said the RM100 overtime allowance given every month was no longer commensurate with the existing daily tasks.
"Going by that rate, a police officer receives RM3.05 a day for working overtime. This does not commensurate with our workload and responsibilities. It is time that the allowance be revised to ensure that it commensurate with our current duties," he said.
Jamal said the junior rank officers, from Constables to Sub-Inspectors, formed the majority in the force, totalling about 85,000 people. He said according to procedure, police personnel were government servants and should work eight hours a day but they usually would have to work extra hours to fight crimes. "A lot of manpower is needed to carry out crime prevention. The same goes to other tasks like controlling a gathering. They will work extra hours," he added.
Jamal also said the existing insurance coverage extended to the junior rank officers was not comprehensive enough to cover mishaps and accidents. Currently, officers who took up group insurance coverage via the Police Cooperative could receive RM30,000 in compensation. For those who were not members of the cooperative, theirs amounted to RM10,000. "We urge the government to insure us as a gesture of appreciation for our services in keeping peace in the country," he said.
According to Jamal, police officers could be said to be working 24 hours a day as the Police Act stated that they could be recalled for duty any time in a day. "This means that even when we are at home, we are ready to be on duty. The same applies whenever we are on leave.
**** Sub-Inspector Jamal Abdullah is absolutely correct when he says that the overtime allowance is inadequate. In fact it is patently unfair and borders on criminal negligence. The request for comprehensive insurance coverage too is justified. How can the government expect the force to provide first-rate quality work, when they are being paid pittance?
The wayward state government leaders are spending millions and millions on renovating their houses as in Negri Sembilan, creating exclusive luxury villas for their exco members as in Selangor and spending on Barisan trinkets and paraphernalia like they recently did in Kedah. All this is being done using federal funds. There are hundreds of such abuses as those mentioned above. The sum total of all this gross abuse and misuse will amount to billions of ringgit. Why doesn't the government make an effort to cut down on this unnecessary and wasteful expenditure and funnel the money saved to deserving causes such as the policemen's overtime allowance?
I simply cannot understand the logic of the senior civil servants sitting on their huge backsides and deciding on the quantum to be paid for the different categories of work for lower level public servants. How they can justify the paltry sum of RM100 as overtime allowance for the cops beats me. Why is the government being so stingy when it comes to a most crucial department like the police whose actions have an impact on every single person in this country?
Will the relevant ministries look into this anomaly? They won't. Inertia prevents them from moving their arses until a prime ministerial order lands on their desk. This is how things will be done in our country today, tomorrow and even I'm sure after 2020. In the meanwhile I wish Sub-Inspector Jamal Abdullah all the best in his endeavours.
The Junior Rank Royal Malaysia Police Officers' Association Chairman Sub-Inspector Jamal Abdullah said it was time that the two matters be given attention considering the increasing workload and risks faced by police personnel. He said the RM100 overtime allowance given every month was no longer commensurate with the existing daily tasks.
"Going by that rate, a police officer receives RM3.05 a day for working overtime. This does not commensurate with our workload and responsibilities. It is time that the allowance be revised to ensure that it commensurate with our current duties," he said.
Jamal said the junior rank officers, from Constables to Sub-Inspectors, formed the majority in the force, totalling about 85,000 people. He said according to procedure, police personnel were government servants and should work eight hours a day but they usually would have to work extra hours to fight crimes. "A lot of manpower is needed to carry out crime prevention. The same goes to other tasks like controlling a gathering. They will work extra hours," he added.
Jamal also said the existing insurance coverage extended to the junior rank officers was not comprehensive enough to cover mishaps and accidents. Currently, officers who took up group insurance coverage via the Police Cooperative could receive RM30,000 in compensation. For those who were not members of the cooperative, theirs amounted to RM10,000. "We urge the government to insure us as a gesture of appreciation for our services in keeping peace in the country," he said.
According to Jamal, police officers could be said to be working 24 hours a day as the Police Act stated that they could be recalled for duty any time in a day. "This means that even when we are at home, we are ready to be on duty. The same applies whenever we are on leave.
**** Sub-Inspector Jamal Abdullah is absolutely correct when he says that the overtime allowance is inadequate. In fact it is patently unfair and borders on criminal negligence. The request for comprehensive insurance coverage too is justified. How can the government expect the force to provide first-rate quality work, when they are being paid pittance?
The wayward state government leaders are spending millions and millions on renovating their houses as in Negri Sembilan, creating exclusive luxury villas for their exco members as in Selangor and spending on Barisan trinkets and paraphernalia like they recently did in Kedah. All this is being done using federal funds. There are hundreds of such abuses as those mentioned above. The sum total of all this gross abuse and misuse will amount to billions of ringgit. Why doesn't the government make an effort to cut down on this unnecessary and wasteful expenditure and funnel the money saved to deserving causes such as the policemen's overtime allowance?
I simply cannot understand the logic of the senior civil servants sitting on their huge backsides and deciding on the quantum to be paid for the different categories of work for lower level public servants. How they can justify the paltry sum of RM100 as overtime allowance for the cops beats me. Why is the government being so stingy when it comes to a most crucial department like the police whose actions have an impact on every single person in this country?
Will the relevant ministries look into this anomaly? They won't. Inertia prevents them from moving their arses until a prime ministerial order lands on their desk. This is how things will be done in our country today, tomorrow and even I'm sure after 2020. In the meanwhile I wish Sub-Inspector Jamal Abdullah all the best in his endeavours.
posted by The Malaysian. at 9/18/2006 11:10:00 AM
1 Comments:
I fully agree that the allowances should be increased by a large quantum. The police will be encouraged to work harder. It is the only way to appreciate their sacrifice.
Post a Comment
<< Home