SIMUNJAN, May 1 — Sarawak Premier Tan Sri Abang Johari Openg today hinted that the state government is considering a slightly better salary increment and allowance for its civil servants compared to what the federal government will offer to federal officers, as announced by Prime Minister Datuk Seri Anwar Ibrahim earlier today.
He said he will make an official announcement in one-and-a-half months’ time after the state government has studied the prime minister’s announcement in detail.
“It is possible the state government will better slightly what has been offered to federal officials by the federal government,” Abang Johari, who is also the state finance and new economy minister, told reporters after attending a Hari Raya Aidilfitri gathering here.
“We will have a package and I will announce what we will do at the Sarawak level,” he said, adding that it will have financial implications for the state government.
“But this is the state’s responsibility; hopefully, we can shoulder the salary increments and the allowances that we will announce in one-and-a-half months’ time.”
In his Labour Day speech delivered to staff from various ministries and members of the Congress of Unions of Employees in the Public and Civil Services (Cuepacs), Anwar announced the federal government’s plan to raise the salaries of civil servants “to record level” next year.
The planned salary increment will come under what Anwar called a new “human resource framework” that would raise the minimum pay for all public sector workers to RM2,000, among others.
The highest increment rate was 13 per cent, but the prime minister said the new increment will be “much higher”.
The current minimum income, which includes salary and fixed allowances, is RM1,795 per month.
Anwar vowed to raise pay as part of his pledge to alleviate cost of living pressure when he took office in 2022, and his government has managed to stabilise inflation from its peak record that same year.
