KUALA LUMPUR, May 1 – Prime Minister Datuk Seri Anwar Ibrahim has unveiled plans to significantly raise the salaries of civil servants, marking the first salary review in 12 years. Speaking at the 2024 Labour Day celebration in Putrajaya, Anwar disclosed the government’s intention to elevate civil service wages to a “record level” next year, with an estimated cost of RM10 billion on top of existing spending for emolument. Acknowledging the long-overdue increment, Anwar emphasized its necessity to pre-empt criticism, particularly against the backdrop of a bloated civil service often criticized for its impact on federal budgets.
The proposed salary hike aims to implement a new “human resource framework,” which includes raising the minimum pay for all public sector workers to RM2,000, a significant increase from the current RM1,795 per month. Anwar’s announcement comes amidst his administration’s commitment to ease cost-of-living pressures, with previous efforts to stabilize inflation. This move underscores the government’s determination to address wage stagnation and bolster purchasing power, with hopes that private sector enterprises will follow suit in providing fair compensation to their employees.
Additionally, Anwar revealed plans to standardize labour ordinances in Sabah and Sarawak with the Employment Act 1955, a step towards enhancing labour rights and protections across the nation.
