SERDANG: As an appreciation to the services contributed by the Community Development Department (KEMAS) personnel, the government has agreed to increase the allowance rate for Voluntary Community Development Assistants (PPMS) to RM800 per month compared to RM500 previously.
The Prime Minister, Datuk Seri Ismail Sabri Yaakob said 9,439 assistants will be involved in the allowance increase.
“The rate of subsistence allowance for KEMAS Former Members Association (PBKAM) is also increased from RM300 to RM500.
“For the digitalization programme at 800 KEMAS Nurseries nationwide, the government has allocated RM8 million,” he said.
The Prime Minister made the announcement at the Opening Ceremony of the First Assembly in conjunction with the 60th Anniversary of KEMAS at the Malaysian Agricultural Expo Park (MAEPS) on Sunday.
Ismail added, the government has also agreed to study reducing the qualification period for KEMAS service contract officers to permanent appointments to 10 years compared to 15 years before.
“The government has also agreed to study relaxing the conditions for appointing service contract officers who have served more than 10 years but less than 15 years, to be appointed to permanent positions.
“The policy will also be extended to service contract appointments on or before October 11, 2020, compared to previously only approve for contract appointment officers before or on October 23, 2015.
“The government is also giving two grades of promotion for the service scheme, namely Assistant Community Development Officer Nursery, Nursery and Skill & Community Development Grade S29, to Grade S32 and Grade S38.
“The Community Development Assistant (rose) from Grade S19 to S22 and S26, the District KEMAS Officer (PKD) from Grade 38 to 41, as well as the State Director from Grade 48 to 52.
“The Director General of Public Services (KPPA) is here and the KPPA has to take immediate action by conducting a study on this matter,” he said.
Meanwhile the Prime Minister emphasized that KEMAS has contributed a lot especially preparing reports to help the government to come up with programmes for the rural areas.
Therefore Ismail said, KEMAS has to be active to get feedbacks on various issues raised by the communities at the grass root level and extend it to the highest management in the ministries besides giving information relating to government policies to the rural people.
“As agents of change KEMAS members should equip themselves with all the knowledge and skill especially in areas related to the roles and responsibilities of KEMAS,” Ismail said.
KEMAS had pioneered the early education for children via the establishment of Taman Bimbingan Kanak-Kanak (TABIKA) in 1970 and TASKA KEMAS in 1995.
To date KEMAS has 10,744 TABIKA classes with 208,347 children and 545 TASKA KEMAS classes with 9, 9973 children. They have been receiving quality early education especially in the rural areas including the islands and Orang Asli areas. – Malaysia World News
