PUTRAJAYA, Oct 16 — The early incentive payment of RM2,000 to civil servants Grade 56 and below pending a review of the Public Service Remuneration System (SSPA), as announced in Budget 2024, is a recognition of the services of civil servants.
Prime Minister Datuk Seri Anwar Ibrahim also gave a signal that the government is paying serious attention to the wage rate of the 1.6 million civil servants in the country.
"It is not unreasonable to expect better performance, higher productivity, but no increase in the wage rate.
“If we look at a study by Statistics Department, there is an increase in productivity, but the increase in wage rate is moderate. There is no encouragement," he said at the monthly assembly with staff of the Prime Minister's Department, here, today.
Anwar, who is also finance minister, hoped that employers in the private sector would make a similar move to increase staff salaries, taking into account the current economic factors.
Regarding the review of the SSPA, Anwar said he wanted it to be completed before the middle of next year so that the outcome could be shared during the tabling of Budget 2025.
The prime minister, when tabling Budget 2024 in the Dewan Rakyat on Friday, announced the early incentive payments of RM2,000 for all civil servants Grade 56 and below, including contract appointees.
Despite financial constraints, he said the budget also focused on education, health and basic infrastructure for the people.
"If we are bound too much by financial constraints, this will make the people miserable. For me, when it comes to education, health of the people in general, that cannot be sacrificed," he added.
Anwar said the government is looking into measures that can be improved in Budget 2024.
“Whatever is within our means, we will do it to the best, whatever is needed to be improved, we will improve,” he added.
He said the 114-page Budget 2024 document was the result of teamwork to plan the country’s budget.
"This budget was tabled by the Finance Ministry, but it is a team effort, with the deputy prime ministers leading several cabinet committees, while the Chief Secretary to the Government led the public service machinery. All ministries and departments were also required to provide inputs,” he said.
Meanwhile, Anwar praised the staff of all ministries which had enabled all agendas planned by the government to be implemented successfully.
He attributed the success to commitment, dedication, determination and sincerity by the civil servants in carrying out the tasks entrusted to them.
"For example, who would have thought that we could resolve the problems of more than 8,600 toilets, which have been going on for decades, in only a few months?" he said.
— Bernama
