THE Permatang Damar Laut Community-based Rehabilitation (CBR) centre has sought help from the state government to increase the allowances of CBR supervisors and staff in Penang.
Permatang Damar Laut CBR chairman Fatimah Kader Bacha said the staff allowance was only RM800 a month, while a supervisor received RM1,200 a month.
“These are the allowances received by the employees, nationwide.
“The take-home allowance of a staffer after all deductions is about RM705. What can a person do with RM705 a month?
“The issue has been brought up and debated in Parliament for a long time,” she said in her speech during the visitation of Chief Minister Chow Kon Yeow to the centre in Permatang Damar Laut today.
She said there were 25 CBR centres in Penang, with 25 supervisors and 205 staff in total.
“The CBR programme is been spearheaded by the World Health Organisation (WHO). The Social Welfare Department has been directly involved in the preparation of the manual and continues to evaluate and implement the programme.
“The programme provides comprehensive services according to the needs of the persons with disabilities,” she said.
Chow expressed his concerns about the needs of the centres and the employees.
He announced an allocation of RM50,000 for the Permatang Damar Laut CBR.
“We hope that the centre can use the allocation to upgrade the facility for the benefit of the children here.
“I know it has been tough and challenging. Be strong and continue your noble effort,” Chow said.
He also said that he would bring up the matter pertaining to the allowances of the CBR supervisors and staff in the state executive council (exco) meeting.
“We will discuss the matter in the exco meeting. We could ‘top-up’ the allowances of the employees pending the decision of the Federal Government,” Chow said.
Also present were Chow’s wife Tan Lean Kee, Batu Maung assemblyman Datuk Abdul Halim Hussain, Bayan Baru MP Sim Tze Tzin, Penang Social Welfare Department director Shaballah Zainal Abidin and Penang southwest district officer Mohd Hafiz Aswad Nadzri.
Story by Christopher Tan
Pix by Adleena Rahayu Ahmad Radzi
Video by Darwina Mohd Daud