Thesun 2009-04-21 Page09 Retrenchment Shows Signs Of Stabilising

theSun

9

| TUESDAY APRIL 21 2009

news without borders Medical leave chits sold for as low as RM10 each SICK of work? You can buy a medical leave chit (MC) for as low as RM10 if you are in the know. According to a report in Nanyang Siang Pau yesterday, the chits can easily be bought from some clinics. In a random survey last month on 18 clinics in Petaling Jaya, Brickfields, Pudu, Kampung Baru, Kepong and Jalan Chow Kit by the daily’s reporters who were disguised as students, two were found to be selling MCs without consultation for RM10 and RM25 respectively. Another two required the “students” to see the doctors before they were issued the chits. However, most of clinics do not engage in the sale of MCs and some stressed that they would not issue the chit on request unless it is deemed necessary. On March 15, a Nanyang reporter posing as a student approached a clinic in Kepong and asked if she could obtain by Kong See Hoh an MC for a fee. “Yes” came

KUALA LUMPUR: Retrenchment in Malaysia is slowing down, showing signs of stabilising, said Human Resources Ministry secretary-general Datuk Thomas George. This was based on the number of retrenchments in the last one month which has not changed from 23,500 locals and 7,955 foreigners. Speaking to Bernama on the sidelines of the National Seminar on Work, Income and Gender Equality here, George said the ministry had so far found jobs for 5,594 of the retrenched workers. At the same time, he said, there

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[email protected] the reply from the counter staff who asked for her MyKad. The staff was careful, lowered her voice and asked the reporter to follow her to the consultation room where a male doctor was in attendance. Doc: Where do you live? Reporter: PJ Doc: Where do you work? I am still studying Doc: What sickness do you want me to write down? Eh ... fever. Doc: OK. Remember not to come back within two months (for MC). OK, thanks.

In another clinic in Kuala Lumpur the next day, the reporter told a nurse at the counter she wanted to buy an MC. The nurse was initially suspicious but dropped her guard when the reporter said her friend had recommended the particular clinic. The reporter, again claiming to be a student, obtained the chit in five minutes without seeing the doctor. Reporter: I want to buy an MC. Nurse (laughing): Where do you work? I am a student. Nurse: How do you know this place (has MCs for sale)? A friend recommended. Why do you need an MC? Personal reasons. Nurse (taking out some pills): I’ll write down fever and give you some Panadol. Can I have vitamins? I don’t want painkillers. Nurse: OK. But (vitamins) in liquid form, more convenient to give the pills. Can I take the (Panadol) pills if I have headache in the future? Nurse: Yes. Because you are a student, I charge you RM25. But for those who are working, I charge RM28. Wow, so expensive? Nurse: It is cheap already. Cases like these are believed to be repeated daily in many other clinics due to the demand for MCs. The question of ethics aside, the rampant sale of MCs will have an impact on companies in terms of performance and medical costs incurred by the errant employees. Congress of Unions of Employees in the Public and Civil Services (Cuepacs) president Omar Osman wants the government to take a serious view of the sale of medical leave chits saying the practice not only affects the good name of the medical fraternity but also the performance of individuals and the competitiveness of their companies. Malaysian Medical Association president Datuk Dr Khoo Kah Lin said the association was conducting internal investigations into incidence of sale of MCs and will take action against errant doctors once it obtains proof of such irregularities.

Retrenchment shows signs of stabilising

PNB offers 5.33 bil units in ASM, ASN pg 16

Yap’s camp makes clean sweep INCUMBENT president Dr Yap Sin Tian’s camp made a clean sweep in the Selangor and Kuala Lumpur Dong Lian Hui (Chinese school committees association)’s election on Sunday, the Chinese press reported yesterday. An unprecedented 523, or 83.3%, of the total 624 delegates turned out to elect 45 committee members in the keenest contest in the association’s history. A stake at the election was Yap’s eligibility to defend his Dong Zong (United Chinese School Committees Association) chief post in June. The new committee, which will meet soon to elect the office-bearers, is expected to give Yap a new mandate, allowing him to defend his post in Dong Zong. Yap called for the closing of ranks following the election. His opponent, incumbent treasurer Sim Teck Ho, took the 46th spot with 214 votes.

were 28,000 job vacancies for various jobs ranging from machine operators, clerks, supervisors to professionals. He said the ministry was also taking a proactive stance in ensuring that retraining was provided for the retrenched and other unemployed so that they could get alternative jobs. The training would be on a handson basis, tailored to the specific needs of the industry and would be provided by 40 training providers based all over the country. George urged those retrenched and unemployed to contact any of the 80 operations rooms of the ministry for

assistance. He said the ministry had also received requests for workers from many multi-national companies operating here, with “each of them needing about 300 to 400 workers”. On foreign workers, he said the government was committed to reducing the number, and in the last few months, the figure was reduced by almost 300,000. Currently, there are 1.9 million registered foreign workers in the country and this would be further reduced to 1.85 million by next year, he said. – Bernama