Why are some govt interns not paid an allowance, asks Syed Saddiq

 

Muar MP Syed Saddiq Syed Abdul Rahman said he had received messages from government interns that they had not been paid a sen. (Bernama pic)

KUALA LUMPUR: Syed Saddiq Syed Abdul Rahman (Muda-Muar) has questioned why some trainees or interns with ministries and government agencies have been denied an allowance.

He said the Cabinet decided in 2019 that those who underwent such internship would be paid an allowance of RM800 to RM900.

“I have received many messages from youths who undergo these internships under ministries and government agencies that can afford to, but do not even pay a single sen,” he told the Dewan Rakyat today.

He said this is despite there being no decision to overturn the previous Cabinet decision even after the change in government.

Syed Saddiq said the human resources ministry also issued a circular to ensure interns with the government were given an allowance.

“My question is, why are there ministries and agencies that break this promise, especially to interns who come from poor families? I hope this issue can be resolved as soon as possible,” he said.

In response, deputy human resources minister Mustapha Sakmud said Syed Saddiq’s complaint was a good reminder for all government agencies and ministries to ensure their interns received an allowance.

He also said there was no law providing for compulsory payment of an allowance for government interns, but this could be considered.

In July 2019, the Cabinet agreed to reintroduce allowance payments for those who underwent industrial training with the government.

Syed Saddiq, then youth and sports minister, said the payment scheme would be assessed based on several criteria that would be set by the government. - FMT