IPOH, March 15 — The Congress of Unions of Employees in the Public and Civil Services (Cuepacs) has reiterated its call to the federal government to consider providing special financial aid to civil servants and government retirees in view of Aidilfitri.

Its president Datuk Adnan Mat said it was hoped that Prime Minister Datuk Seri Anwar Ibrahim would continue the tradition of providing this assistance, which has been implemented for the past 10 years.

"We appeal to the government to announce this aid soon because there are concerns among traders out there that civil servants have less purchasing power,” he told reporters here today.

Adnan expressed appreciation to the Perak and Penang governments for announcing the special Aidilfitri aid for their civil servants.

"Cuepacs also appeals to all other state governments to consider giving the same aid in order to alleviate the burden on civil servants,” he added.

Meanwhile, he said Cuepacs would defend the existing permanent and retirement schemes for civil servants unless a better scheme replaces them.

"If there are improvements to be made, let them be in the context of ‘no reduction in benefits’. We want the Public Service Department to study what form of scheme can replace the current one without reducing its benefits,” he said. — Bernama