Najib: Gov't contributes RM5m to CuepacsCare

The government is contributing RM5 million for Takaful CuepacsCare Program this year to cover the increase in health cost, said Prime Minister Najib Abdul Razak.

He said the protection plan, which provided an alternative for civil servants to obtain treatment at private specialist hospitals, had benefitted about 73,000 government employees, apart from addressing overcrowding at government hospitals.

"We see there is a proposal for an increase in the fee, but the government will continue to provide assistance, despite the increasing health cost.

"This year, the government will contribute RM5 million for the scheme to cover all the increase," he said when speaking at the 'Budi Disemai, Jasa Disanjung' programme with the Prime Minister and beneficiaries of CuepacsCare in Kuala Lumpur today.

The programme is organised by the Congress of Unions of Employees in the Public and Civil Service (Cuepacs).

Najib, however, hoped the subscription to the protection scheme would remain low and continue to be affordable for civil servants in the country.

He urged Cuepacs and Sun Life Malaysia Takaful Berhad, the operator of the protection scheme, to discuss and look for the best way to ensure subscription to the scheme remained low.

The Takaful CuepacsCare Programme, which offers a protection plan for as low as RM85 a month per family, has disbursed claims amounting to RM201 million until last year.

Meanwhile, Najib said revenue collection from the Goods and Services Tax (GST) also helped to cover health service cost which amounted to about RM22 billion a year, hence reducing the country's annual expenditure for the health sector.

"We have to spend about RM22 billion a year for health services, but we only collect about RM400 million to RM500 million a year, meaning RM21.5 billion has to be borne by the government.

"That is why, when people ask the revenue from GST is spent on what, the answer is, among others, providing health service for the Malaysian people.

"So, we cannot politicise GST collection because if we do not increase the cost of public health care, we will have to cover the cost from other sources," he added.

Cuepacs president Azih Muda said the RM5 million fund from the government would be used to cover the excess claim for protection, if necessary.

- Bernama