KOTA KINABALU: The Sabah Government Pensioners’ Association is appealing to the government for consideration to calculate pension for pensioners and receivers of pension based on the maximum numbers of years served.
Its president, Dr Florentius Epin, said in a statement yesterday that it is unfair for the government to just pay them the maximum of 30 years, leaving those who have contributed their full service of about 35 years, especially those lower and middle support groups, as they started to work earlier.
Although the government had amended the previous formula from the maximum of 25 years to 30 years with effect from 2009, there are a great number of pensioners who are disappointed especially those who contributed 35 years or more of their dedication and loyalty to the nation and the government.
The Director of Establishment in fact had determined to pay the pensioners who rendered more than 30 years to the government, as they had issued a circular on 30 January 1996 approving among others that pension be calculated in maximum number of years of service served as stipulated in the original Pensions Ordinance of 1951, and determined it to be effective from 1 January 1995.
“In view of this, our association is appealing to the government to earnestly reconsider to pay pensions to the full service pensioners or who had contributed the maximum number of years of service. It would only be fair for those who had rendered the maximum number of years to be paid accordingly, as the government had received the maximum number of years contributed by the dedicated pensioners,” said Epin.
“Since the cost of living and essential items are spiralling, we hope with this adjustment would help off-set the situation a little for some time,” he added.
Epin also said that he would like to follow up the previous request to increase the 2% across the board yearly increment of pension to 3% for the higher support group and 4% for the lower and middle support groups.