The Congress of Unions of Employees in the Public and Civil Services (Cuepacs) wants Putrajaya to remove those conditions.

Citing a health ministry circular on Feb 11, Cuepacs president Adnan Mat said frontliners could only receive the full RM500 if they had received the full Covid-19 special allowance last year for three months or more.

“Frontliners who received the allowance for less than three months are only eligible to receive RM250,” he said.

He said the process of requesting for the special allowance was laden with conditions and documentation, and frontliners may not have the time to file the claims as they were busy handling patients.

“The health ministry’s actions not only affect the spirits of frontliners but also leaves a negative impression on the government,” he said in a statement today.

Adnan said giving the one-off aid at different rates, based on their special Covid-19 allowance recipient status was unfair, adding that just because some frontliners did not make claims for the allowance did not mean that they worked any less.

He urged the health ministry to remove the conditions immediately and to do away with the bureaucracy, saying all health workers have been working hard to fight the pandemic and deserve the full RM500 aid.

“Cuepacs hopes this issue can be resolved immediately so frontliners can focus on serving the people and the country.”

Frontline healthcare staff are set to receive the one-off payment of RM500 from March 1, on top of the Covid-19 special allowance of RM600 per month for frontliners.

The one-off payment was announced by the prime minister on Jan 18 among measures contained in the Permai stimulus and relief package.