Nothing wrong for Socso to promote its services through staff - Saravanan

 

There is nothing wrong if the Social Security Organisation (Socso) asks its staff to help promote the agency's activities and products, says Human Resource Minister M Saravanan.

He instead urged all Socso staff to be honorary ambassadors for the products and services offered by the organisation.

"What is wrong with an agency promoting its products through its staff? It's not a crime and gives a sense of belonging to the agency's staff.

"Why would MTUC (Malaysian Trades Union Congress) view it as an offence, while the effort will only help Malaysians know more about the assistance and programmes promoted by Socso," he said.

Saravanan (above) was asked to comment on MTUC rebuking Socso's actions to allocate specific marks in its staff's performance appraisal based on how many posts they shared from the official Facebook page of Socso's chief executive officer Mohammed Azman Aziz Mohammed.

He said this when attending the Human Resource Development Fund's (HRDF) prize presentation ceremony for its Pay and Win Promotion at the World Trade Centre in Kuala Lumpur yesterday.

On another development, Saravanan said the HRDF was prepared to provide exemptions and stipulate new procedures for borrowers affected by the Covid-19 pandemic.

He also urged borrowers to discuss with the HRDF on restructuring their loans.

"HRDF can arrange a new payment process and procedure for borrowers. We are prepared to review the loans.

"Although HRDF has appointed collection agencies, I don't want the agency to take drastic action through coercion," he said.

Through a six-month promotion that began in October last year, the HRDF has recorded RM46.83 million in loan repayment collection involving 4,857 borrowers.

- Bernama