Saturday, December 31, 2011

Tunai haji melalui caruman KWSP


(31 Dec 2011)  

Tunai haji melalui caruman KWSP

KUALA LUMPUR 30 Dis. - Bermula 3 Januari (2012) ini, semua ahli Kumpulan Wang Simpanan Pekerja (KWSP) beragama Islam yang mempunyai simpanan minimum RM1,300 di dalam Akaun 1 boleh membuat pendaftaran menunaikan haji dengan Lembaga Tabung Haji.

Pengurus Besar Perhubungan Awam KWSP, Nik Affendi Jaafar berkata, [Gambar Sebelah: Nik Affendi Jaafar], pendaftaran itu boleh dilakukan di semua kaunter Tabung Haji, cawangan Bank Rakyat dan Bank Islam dengan membawa MyKad dan penyata terkini KWSP masing-masing.

“Mereka yang layak mesti warganegara Malaysia atau pemastautin tetap yang belum mencapai usia 55 tahun dan mempunyai akaun simpanan Tabung Haji. Ahli yang tidak mempunyai akaun, mereka boleh membukanya dengan deposit minimum RM2,” katanya dalam satu kenyataan hari ini [ http://www.tabunghaji.gov.my/th/TH/THHajiMontaj.html ].

Tambahnya, mana-mana ahli yang telah mendaftaran haji di bawah prosedur Tabung Haji boleh menukar pendaftaran tersebut kepada Pendaftaran Haji Ahli KWSP.

“Penukaran itu tidak melibatkan tarikh giliran haji yang telah diberikan dan tidak melibatkan sebarang urusan berkaitan tarikh kerana ia akan ditentukan oleh Tabung Haji,” tegasnya.

Maklumat lanjut boleh layari www.kwsp.gov.my atau www.tabunghaji.gov.my dan menghubungi talian 03-89226000 serta 03-62071919.




RUMUSAN:
1- Membuka akaun Tabung HajI (di kaunter Tabung Haji / Bank Rakyat / Bank Islam).
2- Mendaftar nama di bawah ‘Pendaftaran Haji Ahli KWSP.’
3- Syarat-syarat: Beragama Islam, Warganegara atau Pemastautin Tetap, dan mempunyai minimum RM1,300 di dalam Akaun 1 KWSP [Sila bawa IC dan Penyata KWSP terkini].


.

Monday, December 12, 2011

Civil Servants Urged to Wait for Cuepac’s Decision on SBPA

Comment: 1.4 million civil servants is a large number! Down-sizing is also a problem, because that will result in unemployment. The solution is 'effective' usage of human resource, not just mere 'wage earners', or 'clock-in' and 'clock-out' mentality, or worst still 'bad customer service.' Public servants need to upgrade their skills and experiences, and that can be achieved through effective training programs well in placed. The conclusion is, the 'sincerity to improve, and to help' - as opposed to making changes and new system, for the mere sake of change.

--------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------


Source:
http://www.theborneopost.com/2011/12/12/civil-servants-urged-to-wait-for-cuepacs-decision-on-sbpa/

Civil servants urged to wait for Cuepac’s decision on SBPA
Posted on December 12, 2011, Monday

KOTA BAHARU: The Congress of Unions of Employees in the Public and Civil Services (Cuepacs) yesterday called on the 1.4 million civil servants to wait for the outcome of its special congress next week before making any decision on the new Civil Service Remuneration System (SBPA) option.

Its president Datuk Omar Osman, said Cuepacs would convene a three-day special congress in Kuala Perlis, Perlis from Dec 14 to discuss in detail about SBPA before making any decision on the new scheme.


“We have discussed the matter with the Public Service Department (PSD), but we cannot make any decision yet because we want to listen to the opinions of civil servants, including those representing each grade in the new service scheme,” he told reporters after hosting the ‘Get-together with Cuepacs President’ event at Wisma Persekutuan here yesterday.

Omar said it was vital for civil servants to understand the new scheme clearly before making any decision to avoid any problem later on. “Let’s learn carefully what the new scheme is all about before we sign the option form. There’s no need to rush,” he said.

Omar said Cuepacs had also received complaints about the 16-day period, which is from Dec 15 to Dec 31 (2011), given to civil servant to sign the option form as it was deemed to short because many civil servants would be on leave during the said dates and most of them had yet to get a clear picture of the scheme.

Meanwhile, he said the meeting would also discuss the need for the government to appoint a senator to represent the interests of civil servants in the country. “The number of civil servants in Malaysia is big and there should be someone who will represent them at the Senate,” he said. — Bernama


--------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

Source:
http://www.utusan.com.my/utusan/info.asp?y=2011&dt=1212&pub=Utusan_Malaysia&sec=Dalam_Negeri&pg=dn_06.htm


Jangan Terburu Terima SBPA

Oleh AZRAN FITRI RAHIM
azran.rahim@utusan.com.my

KOTA BHARU 11 Dis. – Kongres Kesatuan Pekerja-Pekerja Dalam Perkhidmatan Awam (CUEPACS) meminta kakitangan awam supaya tidak tergesa-gesa menandatangani surat tawaran skim Saraan Baru Perkhidmatan Awam (SBPA).

Presidennya, Datuk Omar Osman berkata, pihaknya akan mengeluarkan kenyataan rasmi mengenai SBPA selepas mengadakan bengkel dan kongres untuk membincangkan perkara berkenaan pada 14 Disember ini.

Beliau berkata, buat masa sekarang, semua kakitangan awam perlu bertenang dan berfikir semasak-masaknya sebelum menerima tawaran itu dan tidak perlu mengikut pandangan mana-mana pihak. “Sebelum ini wakil CUEPACS memang mengadakan perbincangan dengan kerajaan sebelum SBPA dilaksanakan tetapi ia tidak mewakili semua ahli kesatuan ini.

“Kita ada pelbagai sektor dalam kesatuan. Jadi perkara ini harus dibincang terlebih dahulu dengan semua ahli dan mendapat persetujuan dengan mereka sebelum kita membuat sebarang keputusan,” katanya. Beliau berkata demikian selepas Majlis Ramah Mesra Bersama Presiden CUEPACS di Wisma Persekutuan di sini hari ini.

Omar berkata, menurut Jabatan Perkhidmatan Awam (JPA), kira-kira 1.4 juta kakitangan awam di seluruh negara akan diberikan tempoh dua minggu bermula 15 Disember ini untuk berfikir sebelum menandatangani tawaran SBPA.

“Kita minta semua kakitangan awam agar tidak terburu-buru, fikir dulu semasak-masaknya atau tunggu kenyataan rasmi daripada kongres sebelum menandatangani surat tawaran ini.

Sementara itu, CUEPACS berharap kerajaan melantik seorang wakil daripada golongan pekerja sebagai senator supaya suara mereka didengar di Dewan Negara, katanya. “Dahulu pekerja ada wakil di Dewan Negara melalui bekas Presiden Kongres Kesatuan Sekerja Malaysia (MTUC), Datuk Zainal Rampak tetapi sekarang tidak ada.

“Seniman dan orang kelainan upaya (OKU) ada wakil dalam Dewan Negara. Jadi kita berharap ada senator yang mewakili suara 11 juta pekerja (dan 1.4 juta kakitangan awam) di negara ini,” tegas beliau lagi.

.

Friday, December 2, 2011

Health System in Australia: What Malaysian Students and Authorities Can Do?



Health System in Australia: What Malaysian Students and Authorities Can Do?


SHORT-TERM SOLUTIONS: 

1- For pregnant mum-to-be, better book your plane ticket early, and go back to Malaysia and deliver your baby, do not put your life and baby at risk, sounds crazy? But the health system in Australia is currently crazy. Unless of course, you want to pay AUD$7000 (for a service, God knows what to expect, insincere nurses' services, who just only a few weeks ago, went on strike for pay increases, and have been ignored by the hospital administration and government).

http://www.heraldsun.com.au/news/more-news/fury-as-surgery-stopped/story-fn7x8me2-1226194961257
Nurses Deciding on Treatment as Beds Strike Dispute Continues
by: Stephen Drill and AAP From: Herald Sun, AAP November 15, 2011 12:00AM

http://www.theage.com.au/victoria/nurses-may-risk-jail-in-new-strike-20111120-1npdo.html
Nurses May Risk Jail in New Strike
Reid Sexton
November 21, 2011


2- Once back in Malaysia, book a doctor's appointment as soon as possible, at any government hospital, and/or you can opt for a private hospital (for RM2000-4000). In that private hospital, you can choose your doctor, you can even choose the gender male or female doctor, of your choice! (For Muslim female patients, they prefer female doctors, and halal meals - which is not available in Australian hospital - even at the cost of AUD$7000).


LONG-TERM SOLUTIONS: 

1- The Malaysian Students Council/Association in Victoria and Australia need to 'voices out' their dissatisfaction, over the matter/issue, get their voice heard through the mass media (e.g. newspapers, radios, televisions, Internet, etc.).

2- The Malaysian Consulate also need to seriously look into the matter. They need to talk to the Australian health authorities (i.e. the hospital that reject the patient), and related government bodies (i.e. Ministry of Health, The Australian Health Commission, etc.).

3- The Malaysian Consulate also need to seriously look into the matter. They need to talk to the Australian Health Insurance bodies (e.g. OSHC Worldcare, etc.), over the issue and re-negotiate over the terms and conditions, the key point is 'WE want better terms and conditions', IF all things fail - why then bother to buy their insurance, and make the CEO rich (buy from someone, who is willing to listen).

4- Also this matter is not an isolate issue, other Asian countries like, Indonesian students, Vietnamese students, Chinese China students, Pakistani students, Indian students, ETC. are all in the same delimma/predicament. The Asian University Students Representatives (SR) council/association should also be contacted to strengthen the 'dissatisfaction' and 'calling for immediate action.'

5- The university authorities (e.g. international unit/department and Vice Chancellors, at Monash University, RMIT, La Trobe University, University of Queensland, etc.) should be informed of the situation, and to ask them to look into the matter, as to why they require (or make it compulsory) for students to buy these insurance, when it does not cover 'obstetrics and gynaecology' care).


--------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

Source:
http://www.heraldsun.com.au/news/more-news/fury-as-surgery-stopped/story-fn7x8me2-1226194961257

Nurses Deciding on Treatment as Beds Strike Dispute Continues
by: Stephen Drill and AAP From: Herald Sun, AAP November 15, 2011 12:00AM

UPDATE 12.45pm: PATIENT care at Victorian hospitals is being "horse traded" with nurses in charge of who gets treatment instead of doctors, a Fair Work Australia hearing heard today.

Nurses union representatives are ticking off each patients' surgery, deciding if they are sick enough to get treatment, in a situation which comprises care, Department of Health performance executive director Frances Diver told the hearing.

Patients are facing more uncertainty as nurses' bed closures and safety cancellations drag into a fourth day. The Fair Work Australia hearing will hear more evidence this afternoon but a decision will not be reached before tomorrow. Ms Diver told the hearing she feared patient care would be significantly compromised as the dispute dragged on.

She said that some patients who had chosen not to attend emergency over the weekend because of the industrial action would attend later this week as their conditions worsened. "If a significant number of beds are closed that creates delays in the system that can place patients at risk," she said.

Victorian Hospitals' Association chief executive Alec Djoneff told the hearing that he was concerned about surgery cancellations as part of the industrial dispute. He said that decisions on who gets surgery were being made in consultation with ANF representatives and doctors.

"It causes patients (care) to be horse traded and negotiated to be exempt from the bans, which in our view is an imposition," he said. "There will be more and more elective surgery cancelled, there will be more and more beds closed ... those in emergency wards will inevitably have delays and disruptions and upset to their lives.''

Impact on Patients 'Unacceptable' - Baillieu

Premier Ted Baillieu hopes Fair Work Australia will end the nurses' strike, calling their closure of one in three beds "unnecessary and unacceptable''. "Obviously, our principal objective is to settle the Enterprise Bargaining Agreement with the nurses but in terms of the application to FWA we want to see the industrial action terminated,'' he said.

"It is in our view completely unnecessary to close beds and to take this action, but we also think the closure of ... one third of the beds in our hospitals is clearly going to have, and is having, an impact on patients and we just think that's unnecessary and unacceptable.''

Patients Suffering as Dispute Rolls on: 

A two-year-old girl with a broken arm had to wait more than a day for treatment after staff abandoned the Casey Hospital emergency department on Saturday night, her mother said.

Angry patients who have waited six months for jaw surgery have been told their surgery was cancelled.

Almost 900 beds have been closed and 150 elective operations have been cancelled at hospitals across the state as the industrial war continues. Stacey, of Beaconsfield, said her partner had taken their two-year-old daughter to three hospitals before she received treatment for a broken arm.

"I don't think my daughter should be used as a pawn for political reasons," she said. "There were no nurses at Casey Hospital. It was chaotic."

Brett Synon, 18, was due to go home from the Austin Hospital last week to wait for a knee reconstruction operation this Thursday. But his week at home was dashed because of nurses' industrial action.
"I got so angry when they told me," he said. "They said if I went home on Friday then my surgery could be cancelled if they couldn't find a bed for me.

HEALTH MINISTER David Davis said "patients will inevitably suffer".

-----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

Source:
http://www.theage.com.au/victoria/nurses-may-risk-jail-in-new-strike-20111120-1npdo.html

Nurses May Risk Jail in New Strike
Reid Sexton
November 21, 2011

THE nurses' union says some members may vote to strike again today even though they could face jail or fines after the union agreed to stop its current form of industrial action. The partial back-down yesterday follows two separate rulings from independent umpire Fair Work Australia last week that Victorian nurses ignored as they fought for better pay and conditions.

The workplace bans forced the closure of almost 1000 beds and the cancellation of a reported 659 operations. The Baillieu government said it risked patients' lives, a charge the Australian Nursing Federation denied.

The umpire sided with the government on Wednesday when it banned the protected action because it was affecting patient health. But nurses continued with unprotected action, prompting a second ruling from Fair Work Australia that ordered them to stop immediately.

On Saturday, union secretary Lisa Fitzpatrick said nurses were trying to comply with the order but its wording meant union members were not bound by it. This prompted the Fair Work Ombudsman on Saturday to warn that union members were bound by the order and that it would seek a further order in the Federal Court if it was not obeyed, leaving members facing contempt of court charges if they did not comply.

Nurses are seeking an 18.5 per cent pay rise over three years and eight months but have been offered 2.5 per cent a year plus further gains for productivity.

Meanwhile, the Community and Public Sector Union has resumed pay negotiations after the government referred the dispute to the umpire over concerns that vulnerable children had been placed at risk by work bans. The union, which denied the bans put children at risk, agreed to suspend two bans for at least a week in order to restart negotiations between it and Victoria's 35,000 public servants.
With AAP

Read more: http://www.theage.com.au/victoria/nurses-may-risk-jail-in-new-strike-20111120-1npdo.html#ixzz1fK6CmCHo

------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------


http://www.nst.com.my/latest/patient-dies-after-rats-chew-off-penis-in-ward-1.23629
[24 December 2011 | last updated at 03:32pm]

Patient dies after rats chew off penis in ward

NEW DELHI: A pneumonia patient is alleged to have bled to death after rats nibbled off his penis in a government-run hospital in Kolkata, reported local media.

The horrific incident happened at the SSKM Hospital on Friday where Arun Sandhukh, 53, was seeking treatment for pneumonia, reported the Asian Age newspaper.

The hospital authorities admitted the prevalent of rat menace in the wards but did not comment further.

"No nurse was found at the scene and he was writhing in pain. His penis had been nibbled by rats," the victim's relative only known as Bishwanath told the media.

Only family members who came to visit Arun discovered him dead in a pool of blood, said the news report.

Medical mishaps in poorly-equipped and overcrowded hospitals in Kolkata, West Bengal's capital, hogged media attention in recent weeks.

Last Saturday, an inebriated hospital cleaner, at the Calcutta Medical College, was reported to have pulled off the oxygen mask of a three-week old baby that led to her death [Pull off the oxygen mask by accident, mediocre practice, or intend?!].

In another appalling tragedy in a private hospital in Kolkata, over 90 people, mostly patients suffocated to death, after fire swept through the building in the early hours of Dec 9. -- BERNAMA


.

Thursday, December 1, 2011

Overseas Sector Cries Foul Over Hospital Admission Policies

COMMENT: 

This kind of 'hospital rejection' of patients only happens in 'some parts' of Third World countries and Least Developing Countries (LDCs), such as, Nigeria, Kenya, Ethiopia, Somalia, Afghanistan, Angola, and possibly also some parts in India.

But to think that it happens in AUSTRALIA, the so called 'developed country', and is label by United Nations, as among the TOP destination and place to live in! Well, think again!!

In Malaysia (which is a developing country, not a developed country yet), patients are NEVER rejected, some government hospitals in Malaysia may give mediocre services, but that is as far as it goes, but most government hospitals give good services, to locals and migrants.

And to make matter better, ALL civil servants in Malaysia have access to FREE health care services to government hospitals, yet some opt to go to the private hospitals (due to individuals perception of better services in the private hospitals). But government hospitals in Malaysia NEVER reject patients, locals or migrants!

So WHO needs to LEARN from who? I think Australia and US need to learn from the experiences of Malaysia!!!

Also what's the point of buying 'health insurance' card/policy, and making the CEO wealthy, when at the end of the day, your 'health insurance card/policy' is deem WORTHLESS !!

---------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

Source:
http://www.theaustralian.com.au/higher-education/overseas-sector-cries-foul-over-hospital-admission-policies/story-e6frgcjx-1226209576566


Overseas Sector Cries Foul Over Hospital Admission Policies
BY: JOHN ROSS From: The Australian November 30, 2011 12:00AM

THE wife of an international PhD student gave birth in her car after at least five Melbourne public hospitals refused to admit her for obstetrics services. The incident on Friday night resulted from what overseas students say are discriminatory policies that systematically deny them health services available to Australian citizens.

Rosmizi Rahman, 31, said he delivered his son Aasif in the carpark of the emergency department at Sandringham Hospital after a 22km dash across southeast Melbourne. The Monash University student said he ran red lights with his wife Sharifah Rahim in labour, bypassing three public hospitals that had previously denied services to the couple. He made it to Sandringham, which had agreed to admit Ms Rahim as a discounted private patient, but she gave birth before staff arrived. She and her son are recovering at home.

The incident follows revelations that Royal Brisbane and Women's Hospital has banned obstetrics and gynaecology care for international students, including those with medical insurance.

Mr Rahman said he and his wife had initially gone to Dandenong, 5km from his Noble Park home, but were denied care because they did not have Medicare cards. "I said we have (compulsory health) cover, but the staff said we don't take this one."

Mr Rahman said when he followed up with a phone call to Southern Health, which runs Dandenong and Monash hospitals, he was told Ms Rahim would be accepted as a private patient for more than $7000.

He said it was hard to understand why they'd been given different reasons for being turned down as public patients. "When we go personally, they say, 'We are full'. Maybe because we are Asian, they just say 'full'."

Frankston said it could not accept patients from outside its catchment area. Others said they could only take people with Medicare cards.

Shamsul Nizam and his wife Azleena Mohamed, both PhD students at Monash, are expecting their fourth child in April. Mr Nizam said he understood the new admission policy was related to a July change that imposed a waiting period for maternity services for new overseas students.

He said the couple had been in Australia for two years and taken out four-year medical insurance policies. "How can things change halfway (through) the policy and we were not informed?" he said.

Southern Health would not say whether it had a specific policy on international students. It said while its primary role was to serve "eligible public patients" it could also accept privately insured people, but services "may vary depending on overall demand".

Zuzana Quinn, an advocate with Monash Postgraduate Association, said: "At no stage were they told that in the event that there was an emergency or their wives went into labour, they would not be refused service."

Mr Rahman said that out of the many phone calls he had made, one staff member had advised him to "just go to any hospital" in an emergency. "But we don't know what is the consequence of that. Dandenong had refused us before this so we thought it might cause problems."

Mary Pozzobon, national business implementation manager with OSHC Worldcare, said she had been asking the Victorian Health Department for months to clarify admission policies for international students. "There's no clear information on whether overseas students will be accepted and how much services will cost them," she said.

------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

Health Services Commissioner: Make A Compliant
http://www.health.vic.gov.au/hsc/complaint.htm

Note: Don't expect that a 'big impact' will happen, or that they will solve all your problem. But putting your news or compliant on their report (Health Services Commissioner), will make them aware of the loophole in their health system - and maybe they will do something about it in the future!

------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

Source:
http://www.healthreformwatch.com/2011/03/16/health-insurance-ceo-total-compensation-in-2009/

Health Insurance CEO Total Compensation in 2009
March 16, 2011 by Michael Ricciardelli

Insurance Co. & CEO (2009) Total CEO Compensation
Aetna, Ronald A. Williams: $18,058,162
Coventry, Allen Wise: $17,427,789 (took over from Dale Wolf)
WellPoint, Angela Braly: $13,108,198
United Health, Stephen Helmsley: $8,901,916
Cigna, David Cordoni: $6,593,921 (took over from CEO H. Edward Hanway)
Cigna, H. Edward Hanway: $18,800,000
Humana, Michael McCallister: 6,509,452
Health Net, Jay Gellert: $3,643,342

Note: Latest figures and salaries are not available, but expect to be higher than the previous year.

---------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

Comment: Talking about human rights, and basic health facility and services, delivering a baby is as basic as one gets, we are not talking about 'cosmetic plastic surgery' here!! Maybe that's too much for AUSTRALIA to handle, but for developing countries like Malaysia, Thailand, Indonesia, and Vietnam, to name a few, that's not a problem at all, after all, its just 'BASIC HEALTH SERVICES.'

---------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------


***MEDIA RELEASE***

QUEENSLAND DEPARTMENT OF HEALTH PUTS THE LIVES OF INTERNATIONAL STUDENTS AT RISK

International students who seek obstetric care or attention at public hospitals in Queensland are being refused admission and sent to private hospitals instead due to an official memo sent out by the State's department of health.

The Council of International Students Australia (CISA) is shocked by this news. President of CISA, Arfa Noor said, “This is an incredibly irresponsible move by the Queensland State Government, placing the health of these students and their unborn children in danger.”

Students on International Student Visas must maintain private health cover for the duration of their time in Australia. As such, they are able to claim for medical treatment. However, many international students are not able to pay the upfront fees charged by private medical centres.

“International students already shy away from doctors who don't bulk bill because they cannot afford upfront fees and are also worried about loosing money due to the 'gap' between their health cover and high fee costs of private treatment. If these students cannot use a public hospital, then where are they going to get medical help?” asks Ms Noor.

“We are concerned that if students are refused admission to a public hospital, they will not seek alternative medical attention which is essential for the welfare of pregnant women and their children.”

This disturbing trend has started to spread to large hospitals in other states as well, especially Victoria. While the Victorian Health Department has denied there being any official policy about sending International Students to private hospitals, there have been several confirmed cases of students being refused treatment in three of Melbourne's hospitals.

Ms Noor said, "The problem started when hospitals and health departments put International Students in the same category as 'Visitors to the Country'. They must understand that there are significant differences between the two and as such a blanket policy can not be applied to both.”

CISA requests that the Queensland State Government immediately retract this decision and other States and the Commonwealth Governments investigate which public hospitals deny treatment to students and why.


President
Council of International Students Australia