Women in civil service can take 5yrs off to raise kids (updated)

KUALA LUMPUR: Women civil servants can now take a total of up to five years unpaid leave to look after their children. Apart from the 90 days' maternity leave, they can opt to take an accumulation of five years unpaid leave from work to take care of their children. Deputy Prime Minister Datuk Seri Najib Tun Razak, who announced this after opening the 12th Civil Service Conference here on Monday, said Cabinet had approved this last week.

"The current (maternity) leave is for 90 days, but some may decide their priority in life is to take care of the children -- this would allow them to do so," he said. At present, female civil servants can take maternity leave of 60 days with full pay a maximum of five times during their service.

After the 60 days, they can opt for 90 days' unpaid leave to look after the child. The unpaid leave must start on the 61st day, and any portion of the 90 days not used is automatically forfeited. This unpaid leave can be taken five times during their service.

"The leave can be staggered, which means they can take one or two years for the first child, and another one or two years for the subsequent child (any way) not exceeding five years," he said after opening the conference.

The conference, themed "Enhancing National Competitiveness Through Effective Implementation," was organised by the Malaysian Administrative and Diplomatic Service Association and National Institute of Public Administration (Intan). Najob said that those who opted for the five years leave would get three notional increments, and so only lose out on two increments.

"The three notional increments will be given within the five years as an increment to the salary they were getting before they took the long leave. "For example, if the notional increment is RM50 for a certain post, at the end of the five years they would have receive RM150 on top of their salary, once they return to work," he said.

Najib said the five-year cap was imposed because longer absence from work would affect the civil servants' competency and manpower planning.

"We want to provide this flexibility for women in the civil service who want to give more attention to the care of their children.

"This is in line with the Government’s emphasis on the early education of children," he added.
Najib said he had proposed this three weeks ago while launching a women's seminar, and congratulated the Public Services Department for quickly preparing a Cabinet paper on the matter.

The Star

Two more theme parks coming up

SIBU: The Sibu BN Visionary Development Team will build at least two more theme gardens here under the Ninth Malaysia Plan - The Music and Food Village Garden and World Flower Garden.

“The proposed Music and Food Village Garden will be funded by the Ministry of Tourism at a cost of about RM3 million. It will be sited on an area about 30 acres.

“Once completed unique features of the major races here - Chinese, Malay-Melanau and Dayak – will be represented at the garden It will be large enough to accommodate big festivals and functions such as the music festival and Borneo Cultural Festival,” said Lau who is also Sibu Member of Parliament.

He however did not disclose the exact location of the proposed garden. The World Flower Garden meanwhile would be built under Phase III of Sibu Lake Garden (extension), and would cost about RM4.50 million to complete.

“This third phase of the Sibu Lake Garden extension project has in fact been tendered out at a cost of RM4.50 million. It is built based on the world flower gardens in Bali and Japan where flowers from all over the world are found.

He said that the State government had alienated the about 100-acre Lake Garden to Sibu Municipal Council (SMC) so that it could beautify the recreational area for the benefit of the people here.

“As such, we must be thankful to the BN government which has the people’s welfare at heart, and stand solidly behind the Sibu BN Visionary Development Team led by Second Minister of Finance and Minister of Urban Development and Tourism Dato Sri Wong Soon Koh.

“We must not listen to the opposition parties who only know how to criticise the policies of the government. To them, everything the (BN) government does is wrong.”

Lau also called on the people here to be involved in the tourism-related businesses because the tourism industry here was going to be the star attraction in the near future. The BN Visionary Development Team had planned many tourism projects to include The Riveria City, which was meant to attract smart, rich and famous foreigners here.

To the orgainsers of Permai Festival 2007, he congratulated them for their success in organising the three-day event (Aug 31 to Sept 2), which had attracted a huge crowd comprising locals and outsiders.

He later flagged off the final race of the day - Radio Control Power Boat at the lake before he presented prizes to the winners.

The Sibu team captained by Andrew Ling Ching Ping emerged as overall champion in the Radio Control Power Boat Race, which was also participated by teams from from Kapit, Miri and Bintulu.

The Borneo Post

Mukhriz: Dr Mahathir Will Undergo Planned Operation

KUALA LUMPUR, Former prime minister Tun Dr Mahathir Mohamad, 81, is in good health and had made plans to undergo a second coronary bypass operation Tuesday, his son Datuk Mukhriz Mahathir said.

He said his father was admitted to the National Heart Institute here Sunday to undergo the operation and not because he suffered another heart attack.Speaking to reporters in the hospital lounge, Mukhriz said Dr Mahathir was fine and spoke with his family members as usual today.

Dr Mahathir will be operated on by a team of surgeons led by Tan Sri Dr Yahya Awang who did the first bypass operation on him in January 1989.

-- BERNAMA

Never too old to learn

THE pursuit of knowledge knows no boundaries, and Muar-born Jamalodin Rustam proved the point when he obtained a certificate in Post-Basic Haemodialysis at 60.The course by the National Kidney Foundation of Malaysia covers end-stage kidney failure.

“I am happy and grateful to receive the certificate on the eve of Malaysia’s 50th Merdeka celebration,” said Jamalodin on Thursday.

“Graduating is my way of celebrating this auspicious moment.” The course was conducted from May to August by four NKFM tutors and a panel of nephrologists from government and private hospitals.“I’ve found new confidence in knowing that I’ve pursued my dreams. I couldn’t further my studies in my younger years, as I was too busy working,” said the father of four.

Jamalodin had worked as a medical assistant at the Armed Forces Hospital in Terendak Camp, Malacca, for 21 years.He then moved to military training at the camp from 1981 to 1986, before leaving the army in 1987 and joining the Malaysian Red Crescent Society branch in Pulau Bidong, Terengganu, as its medical officer.In 1992, Jamalodin took up a job as medical assistant at a KTM Berhad clinic in Ipoh. From 1997 to 2005 he served Fomema as a medical assistant.

“When my wife found out that I wanted to take up the course, she was shocked,” he said.“She thought that I wouldn’t be able to handle it at my age. However, my daughters, sons and son-in-law supported me.”As Jamalodin has achieved his goal, he encourages elderly people to take up further studies.

“There’s no shame in pursuing knowledge to better yourself.”Why did Jamalodin choose the course in the first place?“I’ve seen many kidney patients suffering. I want to teach them how to care for their kidneys.”Jamalodin said that the course was not easy for him initially. “In the first two months, I found the learning process difficult, but I managed to adapt and catch on.

“My classmates were supportive and respected me for the effort I put into my studies despite my age.” —

The Malay Mail