Workers’ right to rally over cost of living hikes

Posted on 6 May 2014 - 07:20pm

AS a founder member of Cuepacs and having held the post of secretary-general, I am shocked at the outburst of the Cuepacs president that the civil servants who took part in the Anti-GST Rally are traitors. He is talking like a government politician.

I wish to reiterate here that as government servants we have to execute our duties and implement accepted policies of the government to the best of our ability.

However, it does not preclude our inherent right to object or protest against any government policies we consider detrimental to our interest.

The GST will be detrimental to wage earners particularly the middle and lower-income groups be it government servants or private sector employees.

This group is already suffering as a result of increases in the cost of living. The government has raised the price of petrol and electricity tariff which in turn has increased the cost of essential goods.

The Cuepacs president is duty-bound to support and protect his members and fight for their rights. Instead, he is condemning his own members.

Cuepacs should have been in the forefront together with other workers organisations to protest against the GST.

To members of Cuepacs, my request is do your duty as an honest and responsible government servant but do not be afraid to stand up and fight when your livelihood is affected.

The chief secretary to the government should spend his valuable time to put a stop to billions of ringgit of taxpayers money being lost by negligent civil servants as stated in the Auditor-General's Report rather than making threats and suppressing the legitimate rights of civil servants to protest against the GST.

A.T.L.

Klang