RM1,500 pay and no retirement plan Why teachers in PAS-linked kindergarten Pasti are disgruntled
We couldn’t keep our mouths shut when we found out their salary was only around RM400 to RM600 a month. Some even have to do two to three jobs to make ends meet.
(MMO) – Last month, the chain of Islamic kindergartens linked to Islamist party PAS — called Pusat Asuhan Tunas Islam (Pasti) — caught the attention of the Cabinet due to their staff allegedly being paid under the national minimum wage.
It was also reported that the employers did not contribute towards the staff members’ Employees’ Provident Fund (EPF) and Social Security Organisation (Socso) accounts, prompting the Human Resources Department to conduct a thorough inspection of the issue to identify if the teachers were fully employed or under contract.
Moreover, the authorities also checked whether the chain is registered under the Registrar of Societies, Companies Commission of Malaysia or any registered bodies.
What is Pasti?
Started in 1988, Pasti was established by PAS as an alternative education system for the children of its members, but its branches have been accused of being indoctrination centres to recruit potential members from a young age.
In the PAS Youth’s muktamar or annual congress in 1987, the wing decided that the party should form its own kindergartens, and a division to handle the matter was formed the year after. The following years would see PAS formalising the structure of Pasti nationwide, and in 1999, each PAS branches were directed to build Pasti outlets in their respective areas.
Students from Pasti would usually continue their education by attending PAS-affiliated primary school called Sekolah Rendah Integrasi Teras Islam (Islamic Core Integrated Primary School) and then secondary school SMITI (Islamic Core Integrated Secondary School).
Who is fighting for the Pasti teachers?
The recent issue has been highlighted by a group of current and former staff members, Pasti alumni and parents of Pasti students calling itself “Hak Guru Pasti” (Malay for “the rights of Pasti teachers”), who said it is fighting for their rights based on the Employment Act 1955 since its establishment in 2020.
According to the movement, there are as many as 10,000 Pasti teachers in Malaysia. On the petition website change.org, it said it is unable to remain silent to see Pasti teachers working hard but without any no retirement plans to guarantee their future.
“We are no longer able to remain silent when we see the teachers as Pasti’s backbones working hard as early as before 7am to as late as 6pm every day. We couldn’t keep our mouths shut when we found out their salary was only around RM400 to RM600 a month. Some even have to do two to three jobs to make ends meet.
“We are unable to look away from seeing teachers and former teachers who have health problems and are struck by misfortune, losing the ability to earn a living for their families,” it said on the petition page.
On its petition page, Hak Guru Pasti listed three of its demands: to ensure all Pasti teachers receive their minimum wage, overtime allowance, and EPF and Socso contributions based on the national law; appropriate compensation to current and former teachers; and guarantee that the future of current and former teachers are defended similar to other workers in the country.
