Seven statutory bodies receive good news from prime minister

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KUALA LUMPUR: Datuk Seri Najib Tun Razak yesterday had good news for some 40,000 staff of seven statutory bodies which have their own remuneration schemes.

He announced four new benefits for the statutory bodies whose Bahasa Malaysia acronym is BBDS, namely the setting up of a pension fund; fixed housing allowance, gratuity upon end of service and streamlining of employer’s contribution to the Employees Provident Fund (EPF) according to length of service.

“After studying their (staff’s) requests on these, at this auspicious event, I wish to announce that the government has agreed to the setting up of the pension fund for staff employed by BBDS.

“The fund will entail salary deductions for the EPF whereby the total quantum will be split in half. Half will go into the EPF account and the other half to the pension fund.

The announcements by Najib were met with thunderous applause by the 8,000-odd officers and staff of BBDS gathered at the ‘BBDS with the Prime Minister Gathering’ held at the Putra World Trade Centre here.

The BBDS are Lembaga Tabung Angkatan Tentera (LTAT), Bank Simpanan Nasional (BSN), Inland Revenue Board (LHDN), Social Security Organisation( Socso), EPF, Tabung Haji and Perbadanan Hal Ehwal Bekas Tentera (Perhebat).

On the streamlining of the employer’s contribution to the EPF, Najib said: “The longer you serve, the higher will be the employer’s contribution to the EPF.”

The announcements were in line with the same four demands BBDS had been fighting for since 2009 and the outcome of their meeting with Najib in Putrajaya on Feb 22.

Earlier, the Prime Minister had shared his recipe for managing the nation’s economy well which was not adopting a populist approach. — Bernama