Recruitment of Daily-rated Workers in NEA

Mr Zainal Sapari asked the Minister for the Environment and Water Resources (a) what is the rationale for discontinuing the recruitment of daily-rated workers in NEA; and (b) whether there is scope to retain the daily-rated worker scheme in NEA to offer our local low-wage workers more stable and secure jobs.

The Minister for the Environment and Water Resources (Dr Vivian Balakrishnan): Mdm Speaker, currently, NEA employs 622 daily-rated workers. The majority of these workers are involved in vector control, sanitation, cleansing and maintenance. About half of these 622 daily-rated workers are above the age of 62. In fact, 99.5% are above the age of 40.

NEA will continue to re-employ daily-rated workers even beyond 62 years old, so long as they are medically fit to continue working, and have shown consistent satisfactory work performance and good conduct. We do not have an age limit on the re-employment of such workers.

However, the Daily-rated Employment scheme was discontinued in 2001, because new recruits are placed on either contract or permanent service.

12.01 pm

Mdm Speaker: Order. End of Question Time. Deputy Prime Minister and Minister for Finance.