KUALA LUMPUR: The government's announcement of a salary increase of more than 13 per cent from December is an appreciation for almost 1.6 million civil servants who have put the country on a firm footing, said the Congress of Union of Employees in the Public and Civil Services Malaysia (Cuepacs).
Its president, Datuk Dr Adnan Mat, said Prime Minister Datuk Seri Anwar Ibrahim had also taken a bold step in expediting the implementation of the revised Public Service Remuneration System (SSPA).
"The increase will provide relief to civil servants at all levels because it will increase their disposable pay. No reason for the government not to continue with welfare-based initiatives for civil servants after the various services they have provided to the people and country," he said in a statement today.
Adnan also urged civil servants to continue working with the government in providing the best service to the people and economy, as well as carrying out their duties with responsibility.
"Improve yourself with the necessary skills to ensure the public service is always relevant to the current needs of the people and the economic sector. A high level of commitment by civil servants will have a positive impact on the country," he said.
Meanwhile, Union Network International-Malaysia Labour Centre (UNI-MLC) president Datuk Mohamed Shafie BP Mammal described the increase as a positive start for civil servants in the face of rising cost of living.
He said the announcement was also a "slap" to some private sector companies which made enormous profits but remained indifferent to appropriate salary increases for their employees.
As such, he hoped that the measures taken by the government would be a lesson for private firms.
Anwar said he also hoped that private companies would follow in the government's footsteps in increasing workers' salaries.
Shafie also described the Sabah and Sarawak governments' agreement to amend their respective labour ordinances to align with the Employment Act 1955 as a good development. --BERNAMA