KUALA LUMPUR: The government is reviewing the pension scheme for future enrolments into the civil service, says Deputy Minister in the Prime Minister’s Department Datuk Mohamed Farid Md Rafik.
He assured the public that changes, if any, would not affect existing civil servants and pensioners.
“Many policies have been improved to ensure that civil service pension benefits were always adequate in respect of Article 147 of the Federal Constitution, namely securing the rights of pensioners,” he told Dewan Rakyat, here, today.
“For existing civil servants and pensioners, the current pension schemes will be retained.
“However, for new civil servants in the future, the government is studying renewal of civil service comprehensively including post-service aspects.”
Farid was responding to a question from Datuk Shamsul Anuar Nasarah (BN-Lenggong) on the government’s plan to restructure the civil service.
He said the government might only consider salary increments for the civil service when the sector was more productive.
“The combination of downsizing the civil service and increasing productivity is expected to generate more income for the nation, and when that happens the government will be ready to consider increments for the civil service,” he said
The country has 1.7 million civil servants. About 94 per cent of positions in the civil service are filled.
The government’s plan to downsize the sector, said Farid, would be carried out by addressing the overlap of functions between departments and agencies, rationalising existing positions, optimising human resource, outsourcing, finding alternative service delivery options, privatisation, as well as technology integration and needs-based filling of positions.
“The government will ensure the best talents and high-potential officers are positioned appropriately, thus boosting public trust in the civil service.”