super-scale

In my Compensation Management seminar last week, we studied the compensation of the Malaysian government. I like to share this finding to you government employees (maybe some of you are already aware of this)...

There is a 'loop hole' in the government salary scale which is to the advantage of academicians. To attain to super-scale (JUSA) salary scale, it would be quite challenging for most officers. It would take many years and opportunitites to rise to that level will generally depend on available vacant positions in the various departments and ministries.

Take for instance, a Pengarah Pendidikan Negeri which is in super-scale "B". There is only 1 position of that sort in every state. So, there is probably only 14 positions in Malaysia. To reach there, you have to toil through so many levels, maybe teacher-> penolong kanan -> pengetua -> timbalan pengarah pendidikan daerah -> pengarah pendidikan daerah -> timbalan pengarah pendidikan negeri, finally pengarah pendidikan negeri. All that could take 20 years.

But an academician in the universities can attain to super-scale level by merely progressing their academic qualifications. Degree -> Masters -> PhD. Done! When you are an academician, the duration you progress will be determined by the number of years you are capable of completing your studies to reach the super-scale. Then when you have your PhD, your progress is determined by the number of researches you can publish.

My professor said that in universities, there are academicians who have reached super-scale as young as age 34! Try that in other government line positions. There are about 200 academicians in the super-scale in UPM alone. Check how many are there in the ministries? Maybe 5 per ministry?

Why this fuss about super-scale? Because the government pay big money in this scale... in excess of RM15k if you're a professor.

So Telal and Haniza, you both hit the jackpot by going into the academic line. Tell me when you hit the super-scale, ye? Boleh tumpang bangga kawan dah jadi superman. ;)

Nurleena, get in that compensation system after you graduate.

Sayang, want to be an academician? The risk associated to the academic job is even lower than your current role. Plus, there's no public to complaint to you about mosquito, rubbish, pests, etc.
Just my thoughts.