“These workers also deserve attention from the government.

“Cuepacs has long held the view that there should be no contractual appointments, especially in the healthcare sector,” Cuepacs president Adnan Mat said in a statement today.

He said nurses, lab technicians and X-ray technicians, who are crucial to provide proper healthcare services, are still being employed on contracts.

Adnan said Cuepacs was also concerned about a potential amendment to the Pensions Act 1980. The Act allows civil servants to choose between a pensionable scheme or contributions to the Employees Provident Fund (EPF).

“Any amendments to the Act should not reduce the existing benefits that civil servants receive,” he said.

Yesterday, health minister Dr Zaliha Mustafa said the government was considering offering contract doctors non-pensionable permanent appointments as a way of overcoming their current plight. Instead of pensions, they will get EPF benefits.

She said this was one of the ways to enable them to enjoy all the perks given to civil servants, such as housing loans, while reducing the government’s growing pension burden.