Latest news with #PusatAsuhanTunasIslam
New Straits Times
4 days ago
- Politics
- New Straits Times
Afnan says Pasti teachers serve voluntarily despite low pay
KUALA LUMPUR: Alor Setar member of Parliament Afnan Hamimi Taib Azamudden has defended the Pusat Asuhan Tunas Islam (Pasti) pre-school system against claims of unfair treatment of teachers, saying their allowances were for voluntary positions and should not be compared to private sector salaries. Afnan told the Dewan Rakyat that Pasti teachers agreed to serve despite knowing they would not receive high pay due to low fees. "They are not robots — they willingly contribute their energy to help our children learn ABC and 'alif ba ta'," he said, adding that Setiawangsa MP Nik Nazmi Nik Ahmad should thank them for supporting the preschool education ecosystem. Nik Nazmi had criticised the RM600 to RM700 monthly pay for over 9,500 Pasti teachers, calling it a breach of the minimum wage law. He said the voluntary role justification was unacceptable under the National Wages Consultative Council (Amendment) Act 2025 and claimed the practice denied them Employees Provident Fund (EPF) and Social Security Organisation (Perkeso) contributions. Afnan countered that Pasti teachers could contribute to EPF via the i-Sara scheme and were covered under the self-employed social security scheme. He urged the government to focus on allowances for Kafa teachers, Takmir teachers and imams, which he said remained below the minimum wage.
The Star
5 days ago
- Politics
- The Star
RM700 monthly salary for teachers at PAS preschools violates minimum wage rule, says Nik Nazmi
KUALA LUMPUR: A government backbencher has criticised the RM600 to RM700 monthly salaries reportedly paid to around 9,500 teachers at PAS-operated preschools, saying the wages are in clear violation of the national minimum wage law. Nik Nazmi Nik Ahmad (PH-Setiawangsa) said the justification that Pusat Asuhan Tunas Islam (Pasti) teachers were volunteers was unacceptable as it is not in line with regulations under the National Wages Consultative Council (Amendment) Act 2025. "Among the attractions, besides promoting Islamic education, are the low fees. "However, there have been many complaints about Pasti not adhering to aspects such as the syllabus and teacher's remuneration," he said during the debate on the 13th Malaysia Plan (13MP) in the Dewan Rakyat on Monday (Aug 11). The Human Resources Ministry had announced that the Minimum Wage Order 2024 took effect on Aug 1, 2025, setting a minimum wage of RM1,700 per month for employers with fewer than five employees not engaged in professional activities classified under the Malaysian Standard Classification of Occupations 2020. Nik Nazmi also urged the government to consolidate existing government-run preschool services – currently managed separately by the Education Ministry, Community Development Department (Kemas) and the National Unity Department – into a more streamlined national programme. He added that the practice also denied the teachers contributions to the Employees Provident Fund and Social Security Organisation. In response, Mohd Syahir Che Sulaiman (PN-Bachok) said that although the teachers' salaries are low, other allowances were provided despite them working only four hours a day. Nik Nazmi also welcomed the government's plan to make pre-school compulsory at the age of five and to focus on providing facilities in rural areas.
Malaysiakini
5 days ago
- Politics
- Malaysiakini
Nik Nazmi: Act against Pasti over low teacher pay, lack of protections
PARLIAMENT | A government backbencher has urged action against PAS-run pre-schools whose teachers are classified as 'volunteers' and paid less than half the national minimum wage. Nik Nazmi Nik Ahmad (Harapan-Setiawangsa) noted that many Malaysians send their children to Pusat Asuhan Tunas Islam (Pasti) kindergartens because of their affordable fees, but close to 10,000 teachers receive only...
New Straits Times
05-08-2025
- New Straits Times
Driver in preschool bus crash to be charged today
SERDANG: The bus driver in the crash involving a Pusat Asuhan Tunas Islam (Pasti) tour bus, which collided with a tree along Jalan Persiaran near Universiti Putra Malaysia (UPM), is expected to be charged today. Serdang district police chief Assistant Commissioner Muhamad Farid Ahmad said the investigation paper had been referred to the deputy public prosecutor's Office yesterday. "Instructions have been given to charge the case under Section 42(1) of the Road Transport Act 1987. "The bus driver will be charged at the Petaling Jaya Court tomorrow (today)," he said in a statement last night. Last Friday, a tour bus driven by the 44-year-old man, carrying five accompanying teachers and 30 students, skidded and crashed into a tree at UPM.
New Straits Times
04-08-2025
- Automotive
- New Straits Times
Systemic reforms needed to curb fatigue-related crashes, say road experts
KUALA LUMPUR: The recent accident involving a Pusat Asuhan Tunas Islam (Pasti) tour bus, believed to have been caused by driver fatigue, has reignited calls for comprehensive regulatory reform. Road safety experts say the absence of a structured, science-based system underscores the urgent need for reforms modelled on international best practices to prevent further tragedies on Malaysian roads. Universiti Putra Malaysia Road Safety Research Centre head Associate Professor Dr Law Teik Hua said Malaysia needs a structured system to regulate drivers' working hours, similar to flight duty time limitations enforced in the aviation industry. Citing examples from Australia and European Union (EU) countries, he said such systems have proven effective in reducing fatigue-related accidents. "The current rules requiring a second driver for trips over 300km and limiting continuous driving to four hours are a step in the right direction, but they do not go far enough to mitigate cumulative fatigue. "A more comprehensive system would include maximum daily and weekly driving hours, mandatory breaks between shifts, and special allowances for night driving. "These measures have reduced fatigue-related accidents in countries like Australia and those in the EU," he told the New Straits Times. He added that it is timely for Malaysia to adopt electronic monitoring systems to replace traditional logbooks for managing driver fatigue in the commercial transport sector. Manual logbooks, he noted, are prone to human error and manipulation, making them less effective in preventing fatigue-related incidents. "Such systems could be integrated with enforcement databases, enabling authorities to detect violations in real time. "Some advanced systems even feature driver fatigue monitoring using facial recognition or steering pattern analysis, though these may require higher investment," he said. On Saturday, three Pasti preschoolers and a teacher sustained minor injuries when their tour bus skidded and crashed into a tree near Universiti Putra Malaysia. Police said preliminary investigations showed the 44-year-old driver had dozed off and was sleep-deprived at the time of the incident. The driver is currently under a two-day remand to assist in investigations under Section 42 of the Road Transport Act 1987 for reckless driving, which carries a penalty of up to five years' imprisonment and a fine of between RM5,000 and RM15,000. Former SPAD group operations head of policy and planning, Wan Agyl Wan Hassan, said the government should introduce a legally enforceable system to regulate drivers' working hours and rest periods, as the absence of such regulations continues to put passengers and road users at risk. "Malaysia could move towards a structured, legally mandated system that governs how long bus drivers can work and how much rest they must take. "This would mirror the aviation sector's approach, where pilot fatigue is taken seriously and regulated to protect passengers and the public. "Countries in the EU, Australia, and the United States have long-standing frameworks setting maximum daily and weekly driving limits." Wan Agyl said that while current guidelines requiring rest stops and backup drivers for long-haul routes are a good start, they fall short of meaningfully reducing driver fatigue without enforceable standards. He added that digital monitoring systems such as electronic logging devices and telematics are essential to ensuring compliance. "The government should mandate the use of electronic logging devices in all public buses, starting with high-risk sectors like long-distance express, school, and tourism services. "These devices must be standardised and integrated into a centralised system overseen by the Land Public Transport Agency or an equivalent authority," he said.
