Civil servants advised to budget and spend money wisely

news on 05.06.2007

PUTRAJAYA: Government servants should stop moonlighting as this would affect their productivity at work the next morning.

Prime Minister Datuk Seri Abdullah Ahmad Badawi said although he would prefer them not to take up second jobs given the recent salary increase, if they had to continue moonlighting, they should at least refrain from working too late into the night.

“The pay rise saw a higher percentage of increase for the lower-paid staff who I understand take up second jobs to make an honest living, such as selling nasi lemak and traditional cakes.

“I respect them for working extra hard to provide a better life for their family, but if they work late at night, their productivity the next day may be affected,” he said when addressing staff of the Prime Minister’s Department at a monthly gathering here yesterday.

Abdullah also advised them to budget and spend their money wisely, and not on unnecessary things.

Whipping? Paedophile changes plea

KUALA LUMPUR: A security guard who first admitted to forcing a 13-year-old boy to perform oral sex on him changed his plea when he found out the sentence was 20 years and whipping.

T. Prabayar, 33, initially pleaded guilty when he was charged at a Sessions Court here with committing the offence inside the toilet of a showhouse in Bandar Baru Sentul on May 20 around 4pm.

The security guard, when told about the sentence, hesitated for a moment before he decided to claim trial despite an explanation from judge Datin Anita Harun that he would be given a chance to mitigate.

Deputy Public Prosecutor Mohd Abazafree Mohd Abbas informed the court that although the victim was not known to the accused, the teenager resided within the same area where the incident happened.

As such, he said the probability of witness-tampering was high. He suggested an RM30,000 bail. Anita then turned to Prabayar and asked if he had a bailor to which he answered yes. She then asked him if he had anything to say about the bail sum. He shook his head.

"Can you afford RM30,000?" the judge asked? Prabayar, who is from Perak, nodded and said yes.

The judge then set bail at the proposed amount in one surety and fixed July 5 for a mention of the case to allow the security guard to appoint a lawyer.

At press time, bail had yet to be posted.