PUTRAJAYA – The salary increase for the civil service is not “candy” dished out by Putrajaya ahead of the polling day for Kuala Kubu Baharu’s by-election, said Prime Minister Datuk Seri Anwar Ibrahim.
He added that the salary adjustments were long in the works before incumbent assemblyperson Lee Kee Hiong died on March 21.
“The government cannot stop the opposition from issuing ‘hambar’ (pointless) statements. The salary increase has nothing to do with the by-election,” he said in his speech at the Home Ministry’s Raya open house, here today.
Anwar today said he expects Parliament to pass the bill on the salary increase as part of Budget 2025, which is expected to be tabled and debated in October.
He said MPs from component parties in the unity government will support the increase in time for its implementation on December 1.
“I’d like to see which MP will object to this increase,” the prime minister said.
Yesterday, Anwar announced a salary increase of more than 13% for the civil service, effective December 1 this year, and costing the government approximately RM10 billion.
He added that civil servants’ overall income, consisting of the minimum wage and fixed allowances, must exceed RM2,000 per month, starting this year.
Currently, the minimum overall income of civil servants stands at RM1,765.
Anwar also hoped that the private sector would take note of the salary increase announcement and apply the necessary increments for their employees accordingly.
This Labour Day announcement comes with joyful tidings for civil servants following reports that pensions for new civil servants are set to be scrapped, as the government faces a ballooning financial burden caused by an increasing number of retirees and longer life expectancy. – May 2, 2024