Tuesday 18 September 2007

The Right Hand Gives, The Left Hand Takes.

The government has just given civil servants a substantial increase in salary which in a way helps government servants to deal with the rising cost of living. Before even getting the first payment, prices of essentials have risen. Now that 2 months have already passed more and more essential items are being indiscriminately sold at higher prices rendering impotent, the government's ability to control prices. This is not to say that they were able to do so in the past.

One thing that is interesting here but has not been highlighted by the local press for obvious reasons, is the struggle of the banking sector workers, to be more precise, the struggle of the clerical workers. Their last CA has lapsed quite a while already and they are negotiating a new CA. Their CAs in the past has all the while included a 2 months bonus payment a year. This time around, NUBE, their union is asking for a 30 percent increase in salary. After a long battle the Bank Employers haver agreed to the request of the clerical workers but with a catch. The clause on the 2 months bonus payment will be dropped meaning no guaranteed 2 months bonus for them.

Two extra months in a year makes 1/6 of their annual income or 16 to 17 percent of their annual income. So they will scream and shout to the world that they are giving a 30% increase but keep quiet about the fact that they are taking back 16 to 17 percent. The real gain would actually be 13 to 14 percent not 30. NUBE of course refused and that is why if you go to a bank counter you will see the tellers and all clerical workers spotting protest badges.

From information gathered, it is the refusal of a certain brother of a certain very highly minister who is the culprit responsible for this trickery. These people are already bloody filthy rich. Banks are not actually making loses, in fact, their profits are sinfully high. Why is it that they still want to make life for their workers difficult? How much is an extra 2 months bonus compared to the hundreds of millions or billions of ringgit of profit that they are making?

Why is it that no local daily is giving prominence to this state of affair in the banking industry? Is it because they are afraid to piss off the brother of a certain highly placed minister? Is the brother of that minister more important than the thousands of bank clerks in this country?

Since we are on the subject of pay increase and bonus, lets have a look at the public sector again. Some idiotic ministers were saying that government servants had already got a hefty increase which if added up could amount to 2 to 4 months salary. While not denying that fact, I would also like them to make some corrections. A government servant who got a 15 percent increase actually only got about 8 percent. Why? Last year, and years before, that same government servant got 1 month bonus but this year he/she gets no bonus. 1 month's salary adds up to about 7 to 8 percent of annual salary.

16 comments:

Anonymous said...

I was at the bank yesterday and I saw the badge they were wearing and didn't understand why and what the badge means until I read about it on your blog. I think NUBE is a very powerful body, bank workers are a blessed lot compared to others. They work 5 days week, and if you look at the number of leave entitlement for bank workers, it is so unbelieveable good. How about their working attitudes? Other than Public Bank, the others are taking their job leisurely, not much motivated and taking things easy, no extra mile kind of effort to assist their customer. Do they deserve the 30% increment their unions are asking? They are a pampered lot and they whine a lot.

I am getting tired and their frequent badge wearing whining.

Unknown said...

I am not going to argue with you as to the work ethics of bank employees. A Public Bank employee maybe good but his/her buddies in other branches maybe be lousy. The same goes for other banks.

Their work attitude depends very greatly on their employers. If their employers know how to handle their workers then there will not be any complaints.

The issue here is not one of attitude of the workers but an attempt by a very powerful body to cheat their own employees just because they are very highly connected.

These grouses I am sure is not confined to the banking sector alone but to any other where there is political patronage.

To those workers who have been lackadaisical in their attitude it is about time they take stock coz wearing those badge will not get them sympathy but contempt by those who felt that they don't deserve due because of their bad work ethics.

Yes, Frankie, in a way, you are right and I hope there are bank workers or NUBE members who reads this. While they are justified in their demands, they must in turn show that they deserved it with better work ethics.

Anonymous said...

Salam Cik Gu

Maaf kan saya menyapok. Got this from a friend, since we are talking about pay , let see what others have:

Mulakan dulu allowances untuk Agong dan Permaisuri Agong.

Elaun untuk Agong dan Permaisuri Agong

Ini adalah dibawah Undang-undang Malaysia Akta 269 (Akta Peruntukan Diraja 1982).
Ini budget tahunan untuk Agong. Akan dibayar secara bulanan kepada Agong. Selain dari elaun untuk Agong ni, mereka masih dapat elaun Sultan di negeri masing masing.

1. Privy Purse - RM360,000 (bermakna bulanan adalah RM30,000).
2. Elaun keraian - RM120,000 (bulanan sebanyak RM10,000)
3. Elaun diraja Istana Negara - RM144,000 (bulanan sebanyak RM12,000)

So, total setiap bulan seorang Agong dapat adalah sebanyak RM52,000.

Elaun untuk Permaisuri Agong ialah

1. Privy Purse - RM67,200 (iaitu RM5,600 sebulan).
2. Elaun keraian - RM21,600 (RM1,800 sebulan).

Total sebulan Permaisuri Agong dapat ialah RM7,400.

Selain daripada tu, setiap tahun Agong dapat lebih RM53 million untuk perbelanjaan istana, sambutan tetamu dan untuk gaji pekerja dia.Breakdown nya adalah seperti berikut

1. Perbelanjaan istana dan sambutan tetamu - RM52,259,100
2. Gaji kakitangan istana - RM1,004,880

Elaun untuk bekas Agong dan bekas Permaisuri Agong

Aku tak pernah tau wujud nya elaun ni. Bermakna setiap bekas Agong yang tukar setiap 5 tahun tu akan dapat elaun bekas Agong dan bekas Permaisuri Agong. Ini adalah dibawah peruntukan Undang-undang Malaysia Akta 270 (Akta Istana Negara Elaun-elaun Diraja 1982) pindaan 2006.

Dibawah akta ni elaun akan dibayar kepada bekas Agong dan bekas Permaisuri Agong setiap bulan untuk seumur hidup. Contoh nya lah kan, macam Sultan Azlan (bekas Agong), selain dari elaun Sultan dia dapat tiap bulan, dia juga dapat elaun bekas Agong.

1. Elaun Diraja Istana Negara untuk bekas Agong - RM15,180 sebulan.
2. Elaun Diraja Istana Negara untuk bekas Permaisuri Agong - RM4,500 sebulan.

Boleh dikatakan kat Malaysia ni kebanyakan Sultan dah pun jadi Agong, just imagine berapa banyak kerajaan belanjakan untuk kesemua bekas-bekas Agong dan bekas-bekas Permaisuri Agong yang masih hidup?

Pencen khas untuk balu Agong

Ini adalah pencen untuk balu Agong. Bermakna kalau Agong tu mati semasa dia tengah jadi Agong, so balu dia akan dapat pencen ni. Contohnya pencen khas ni Siti Aishah dapat sebab Sultan Selangor mati masa tu dia tengah jadi Agong kan. Kira untung lah Siti Aishah ni sebab dapat pencen khas. Anyway, ini adalah di bawah Undang-undang Malaysia Akta 223 (Akta Pencen Khas Raja Permaisuri Agong 1979).

So, ini lah yang Siti Aishah dapat.

1. Pencen seumur hidup - RM4,500 sebulan.
2. Kereta (cukai jalan dan bayaran pendaftaran percuma) atau wang pukal RM250,000 untuk kereta. Juga dapat RM2,590.87 sebulan untuk driver dan maintenance of car.
3. Rumah Kerajaan yang akan disenggara oleh Kerajaan atau wang pukal RM750,000.

Elaun Sultan dan kerabat (contoh Kedah)

Elaun untuk Sultan dan kerabat kat setiap negeri adalah dibawah peruntukan negeri masing-masing. Setiap negeri ada Enakmen Peruntukan Diraja. Ini contoh untuk Kedah. Basically, kat negeri negeri lain pun lebih kurang sama juga amount nya.

1. Elaun Sultan - RM52,600 sebulan.
2. Elaun keraian Sultan = RM15,480

So, setiap bulan Sultan (contoh disini ialah Sultan Kedah) ialah sebanyak RM68,080.

Untuk Sultanah pulak elaun nya adalah

1. Elaun Sultanah - RM12,000 sebulan
2. Elaun peribadi Sultanah - RM2,600 sebulan.

Sebulan Sultanah akan dapat RM14,600.

Elaun lain lain untuk kerabat ialah
Raja Muda - RM13,000
Raja Puan Muda - RM5,200
Tunku Bendahara - RM4,000
Bini Tunku Bendahara - RM1,250
Tunku Temenggung - RM3,500
Isteri Tunku Temenggung - RM900
Tunku Laksamana - RM3,000
Isteri Tunku Laksamana - RM600

Banyak lagi elaun untuk kerabat bergelar.

Selain daripada tu kerabat-kerabat lain pun dapat allowances juga. Contoh macam anak anak Sultan dapat allowace dalam RM1,000 sebulan and kerabat jauh sikit (bukan anak Sultan) dinamakan kerabat kategori 2 juga dapat allowace sebanyak RM500 sebulan.

Gaji dan allowances untuk Perdana Menteri, Menteri dan Ahli Parlimen

Ini semua adalah dibawah Undang-undang Ahli Parlimen (Saraan) pindaan 2005
.

Gaji untuk Perdana Menteri, Menteri, MP adalah seperti berikut,

Perdana Menteri - RM22,826.65 sebulan
Timbalan Perdana Menteri - RM18,168.15 sebulan
Menteri-menteri Kabinet - RM14,907.20 sebulan.
Timbalan Menteri-menteri Kabinet - RM10,847.65 sebulan
Setiausaha Parlimen - RM7, 187.40

Ahli Dewan Negara - RM6,508.59
Ahli Dewan Rakyat (ni kira MP lah) - RM4,112.79

So, contohnya macam Pak Lah... dia adalah Perdana Menteri dan juga Menteri Kewangan dan Menteri Keselamatan Dalam Negeri dan juga dia adalah MP, so monthly income dia ialah

= RM22,826.65 + (RM14,907.20 x 2) + RM4,112.79
= RM56,753.84.

Ini formula untuk calculate pencen bekas MP.

Pencen:
1/144 x tempoh perkhidmatan (bulan) x Gaji

Minimum pencen dapat ialah separuh dari gaji MP. Bermakna kalau jadi MP satu penggal pun akan dapat pencen paling sikit pun RM2, 056.40. Lagi lama jadi MP lagi banyak pencen dia akan dapat.

Gratuity:
1/48 x Gaji x 12 x tempoh perkhidmatan (bulan)

Anonymous said...

Salam Cik Gu

I agreed with what Cik Gu have said about the other employees of Public Bank ,Frankie. In this place of mine
I am appal at the way they behave and treat their customers.

Unknown said...

It's a hot issue you have here bro...Tak tau nak kata apa sebab sebenarnya sakit hati sebab asyik2 org kerajaan je dpt kenaikan gaji and bonus..ni yg swasta...buak 'dek' je...

anyway, I've tagged you! please visit my blog okay?

tokasid said...

Salam che'gu:

Yes, anything that got to do with gaji/salary: static or increament is a volatile( or is it hostile) topic.It can send sparks all over the place.

This salary increase thing is like a game to the govt and companies/employers. Most are reluctant to increase. The more they gain(to the company and personally) they stingier they become.

On the other hand, they have a valid reason- not all the employees deserve a pay rise. Some with lousy attitudes, lazy, plays truant doesn't deserve. Those hardworking ones will. But how do the gomen or companies decide who gets and who doesn't.
The gomen came out with SSB where the superiors will write reports about those under his/her care. That process was open to abuse and discrimination. And finally SSB died and was buried without a tombstone.
Now the gomen came out with a 'bright' idea: Lets have our civil servants take exams after a short course. That the PTK. But with the exam system, some lazy bum can still pass the exam right? And some deligent worker but maybe not so bright for the exam might 'kantoi'big time. So its still unfair.

Will banks and other big coporations( the GLC) go for the PTK-styled process?


Whenever there are pay rise or bonuses given out, unavoidly prices of goods will go up. Even before you get your bonuses, the hike preceded you.
But what about ppl who work on their own. Who nobody paid them salaries or bonuses? Those self employed guys.Those rubber tappers,padi planters,sawit workers,fishermen,labourers?

They will be affected too by the price increase. How do they cope with that?

Maybe a Minister can answer(kelentong) that to me.

Thanks Bru99 for the detailed accounts of 'salaries' by the Royalties and ministers.Somehow my throat became dry reading this.
Bru99, can a commoner be appointed as Agong tak??

jasgill said...

Hi, visiting after a long while. A very happy fasting month wish for you. Regarding your post, the banking sector is now so automated that even without the internet banking you need not enter the bank for many transactions.They have ATMs,cheque and cash deposit machines, nearly 24 hrs in some branches. In fact if you try to do a chq deposit at the counter they will direct you to their machine. Looks like the days of employees are numbered....

Anonymous said...

Salam Cik Gu

Hope not, tokasid ,but I know what you mean.

Unknown said...

Bru,
Thanx a million, very useful info there. Mind boggling. I have already sent in my application to be the next Agung and they said there is no academic requirement.

Unknown said...

Raden,
I'll get over to your blog. Tagged again huh? I don't mind writing what I have to write but finding another 5 bloggers would be difficult.

Unknown said...

I tell you, both the ssb and ssm are screw up schemes. I was for 3 years an officer who grades the teachers in my school. It all depends on who the pengetua wants. I remember once that after coaxing the pengetua he gave in to my request to give a tukang kebun a menegak. Everything was going find untul one day when he couldn't fing the gardener. Immediately he asked me to go to the PPD get back the forms and change the grades. What a fucked up bastard the pengetua is. In the end he gave it to an undeserving lab assistant.

Unknown said...

Jasgil
Yes, you are right jasgil. This enables the banks to save a lot of money.
We have to keep up to the latest development. I myself do quite alot of electronic banking, in fact I can't remember when was the last time I set foot in a bank. Having said all these, it doesn't make the bank employers decision to bully their workers right.
Sometimes, we get angry because our employers do not give us bonuses but that does not mean that we should be angry that other employers do.

tokasid said...

Che'gu:

Ada satu posting about twin tower yg nak di buat kat sebelah Penang hill oleh bro muteaudio. You can go to his blog:-

http://kuihmanis.blogspot.com/

Unknown said...

Doc,
Depa nak buat twin tower apa pulak? Yang dok ada pun under-used nak buat lagi buat apa. Meluat la aku dengan depa ni semua.

monsterball said...

kata tak nak...Banks today is totally different from our times...live with it. I will not repeated anything you do not know....only to say they are experts to charge all sorts of services charges and high interests with no real professional services like we are so used to get.
Did I tell you my father was a banker for 47 years years..until age 70?...so I should know.
But one thing .you can be sure..foreign bans serve customers differently and better.
By the way..Happy Ramadan month to you and your family and all my muslim friends here.

Anonymous said...

Cik Gu,

accidentally bumped into your blog.. hmm.. interesting.

About the school and the principal.. it's sooooo true! One of the very reason why my sister left her teaching profession... not that she really cared about menegak/mendatar or whatsoever... but it's just fustrating, even just watching it happening to other ppl.

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