PUTRAJAYA: The salary increment for civil servants announced by the government should serve as a message for the private sector to follow suit.
Following the increment in salaries for civil servants, Prime Minister Datuk Seri Anwar Ibrahim said there was no excuse for private companies making high profits to continue paying low salaries to employees.
"I hope the private sector will reconsider salary increments so that the pressure on the public and workforce can be reduced with a reasonable salary scheme.
"This is especially for companies that report significant profits. There is no reason why monthly salaries should be less than RM2,000," he said when met by reporters after the 19th Majlis Amanat Perdana Perkhidmatan Awam (MAPPA) today.
At the same time, Anwar, who is also finance minister, said the salary increment for civil servants was part of the public service reforms implemented by the Madani government to raise the salaries of low-grade workers to at least RM2,000 a month.
"We acknowledge their (civil servants') services, and performance must also be improved through public service reform."
In his speech earlier, Anwar announced that civil servants in the implementing and professional groups will receive a 15 per cent salary increment, while those in top management and professional roles will see an increase of seven per cent.
He added that the increment will be implemented in two phases: the first phase in December this year and the second phase in January 2026, due to the challenging economic situation in the country.
Anwar also said that for officers in the implementing group, the salary adjustment will start at eight per cent in Phase 1 and seven per cent in Phase 2.
For the top management group, the salary adjustment will be four per cent in Phase 1 and three per cent in Phase 2.
The last time civil servants' salaries were revised was 12 years ago, with the highest increase in the past being 13 per cent.