KUALA LUMPUR, March 4 — The High Court has allowed the government's application to stay payments of pension arrears to 531,976 pensioners amounting to RM1.7 billion, which is based on their final salary according to the 2016 Public Services Department circular, pending the disposal of its appeal at the Court of Appeal.
Judge Datuk Amarjeet Singh decided after hearing the submissions by senior Federal counsel Ahmad Hanir Hambaly @ Arwi, representing the government, the Public Service Director-General, and lawyer Datuk Dr Abd Shukor Ahmad, representing Aminah Ahmad.
"After considering the affidavits and submissions from both parties, I find that there are special circumstances to allow the stay. There is no order as to costs," he said.
Meanwhile, the court dismissed Aminah’s application to stay today’s decision.
The government filed the stay application against a High Court decision which allowed Aminah's judicial review and ordered the Public Services Department and the government to pay the pension arrears within three months, starting January 16.
In his submission, Hanir said the payment of the pension arrears starting January 2022 is estimated at RM1.7 billion and to be disbursed to 531,976 pensioners.
He said recalculations are necessary to align the pensions accordingly.
“It is undeniable that the 531,976 pensioners reside in various locations, in Malaysia and abroad. If the respondent succeeds in the appeal at the Court of Appeal, there is a risk that the respondent will not get the additional pension payment,” Hanir said, requesting that the application for a stay of the High Court order dated January 16 be allowed.
Abd Shukor, who objected to the stay application, said the payment of pension arrears is a legal obligation and not a waste of time, cost or manpower.
"The prospect of success in the appeal is still speculative and cannot be used as a reason to withhold the payment of the pension arrears because any administrative burden lies entirely with the respondent and should not be used to prejudice the rights of the applicant (Aminah) and other pensioners," he said.
Meanwhile, in an affidavit-in-reply to the stay application, Public Service Director-General Tan Sri Wan Ahmad Dahlan Abdul Aziz said the Special Appreciation for Pensioners (PKKP) initiative was introduced by the government to align with the federal court’s decision while safeguarding the welfare of pensioners.
"PKKP is a payment that covers the difference between the current pension amount and the original pension amount so that pensioners receive the same monthly amount as the current pension rate.
"The amount provided under PKKP is much higher than the pension arrears arising from the High Court's decision dated Jan 16, 2025," he said.
Aminah, who retired as a civil servant with the Foreign Affairs Ministry, filed the judicial review application on January 12, 2023, in her capacity and on behalf of 56 retired members of the public service.
She applied for a mandamus order to compel the respondent to expedite the pension adjustment to the rightful amount as outlined in sections 3 and 6 of the Pension Adjustment Act 1980 before the amendments in sections 3 and 7 of the Pension Adjustment (Amendment) Act 2013.
Aminah also sought an order for the respondents to pay the pension arrears within 14 days, in addition to a declaratory order stating that the failure to pay violates the Federal Constitution.
Under the old scheme, the retiree's pension is revised based on the prevailing salary of incumbent civil servants in that grade. However, the 2013 amendment was introduced based on a flat rate of two per cent annual increment.
— Bernama
