KUCHING: Sarawak civil servants who were appointed on Contribution-Based Posts (JBC) will now enjoy the same benefits as permanent staff.
State Secretary Datuk Amar Mohamad Abu Bakar Marzuki said it is one of the improvements made by the Sarawak government in line with the current changes to attract more people to join the state civil service.
“I believe that many civil servants in the state currently still hold the JBC posts and who previously had chance for promotion and pensionable status.
“However, the reforms and progress we have achieved as a result of the cooperation and ideas of all quarters including the agreement of Premier Datuk Patinggi Tan Sri Abang Johari Tun Openg and the State Cabinet, now the JBC post has been improved for the development of state civil service members.
“This is to ensure that they also enjoy the same benefits and privileges as pensionable staff.
“They can now enjoy promotion and other privileges which are under the jurisdiction of the Sarawak government,” he said.
Mohamad Abu Bakar said this at the Innovation and Integrity Day of the Land and Survey Department 2023 themed “Innovation and Integrity Sustaining Prosperous Sarawak” at Imperial Hotel, today.
He added the initiative was also aimed at attracting those with higher educational qualifications to join the civil service.
He said one of the reasons many people refused to become civil servants was because the permanent service and pension schemes have too many restrictions.
Furthermore, he said the State Government Council had approved a number of other matters such as raising housing loan rates, car loan and so on for civil servants on grades 41, 44 and 48.
“The number of those eligible for housing loans is too small, thus restricting their efforts to have a comfortable home. That is why the current policy needs to be changed in line with current changes.
“Hence, the Sarawak government agreed that housing loans and so on should be increased for the benefit of our civil servants,” he explained.
Apart from that, he said, the state had also agreed to establish a special task force which included the Land and Survey Department to deal with the problem of housing ownership and dilapidated quarters for civil servants.
“We are aware, especially for those who work outside the city, that the housing or quarters of our civil servants are quite dilapidated and unfit for living, so this task force is necessary to overcome the problem for the long term.
“The government is also actively studying the Sarawak Public Service Scheme to attract more people, especially those who have the skills to join the state civil service,” he stressed.
