KUALA LUMPUR – Prime Minister Datuk Seri Anwar Ibrahim announced that judges’ salaries have been increased for the first time in a decade, with adjustments reaching up to 30 per cent after years without annual increments or reviews since 2015.
Delivering his 2026 New Year Message at the Prime Minister’s Department monthly assembly in Putrajaya, Anwar said the hike was necessary to reflect responsibilities that had grown heavier over time.
Turning to civil servants, he revealed that their pay rise will add RM18 billion to government expenditure, stressing that the move was not driven by demands but by fairness.
“Civil servants’ responsibilities have expanded, yet their salaries have only been enough to cover family needs for the past 12 years. This adjustment is about justice, not indulgence,” he said.
Anwar quipped that pay rises often spark thoughts of “new cars, new televisions, even new wives,” but underscored that the increase must translate into better service delivery.
He reminded that the public has every right to question allowances and salary hikes if performance does not improve.
“This includes ministers. Draft replies should start with AI systems, then refined with personal input. It saves time and raises quality,” he added, calling for serious adoption of digital systems to modernise public service.
The Prime Minister said the reforms mark a push to align remuneration with responsibility while driving efficiency through technology. – January 5, 2026