[UPDATED] RM700 cash aid for civil servants, additional RM100 increment for 2023: PM

PUTRAJAYA – Prime Minister Datuk Seri Ismail Sabri Yaakob has announced a RM700 special financial aid for all civil servants Grade 56 and below, which will be distributed in January 2023.

Retirees and army veterans will also receive RM350 in assistance, the Bera MP said, in acknowledging the work and sacrifices of those currently serving or who had served the government.

He added that the government agreed to give an additional RM100 in increment next year to some 1.28 million civil servants who are between Grade 11 and 56, costing a total of RM1.5 billion. 

“For instance, if the annual increment for Grade 11 is RM80, then for 2023, they will get base RM80 increment and a special RM100 addition, bringing the total to RM180.”

These are among several incentives announced by Ismail Sabri today in front of more than 5,000 government servants at the 18th civil service premier assembly here.

This is set to be the last assembly of its kind before Parliament is dissolved in the coming months.

Ismail Sabri also announced other non-monetary incentives, including increasing the special leave days for some 500,000 teachers nationwide with more than 10 years of service, from 10 days to 15 days annually.

Separately, civil servants will now be able to apply for unrecorded emergency leave for the deaths of their siblings and grandparents, a scheme that was previously only limited to the closest family members.

On top of that, the prime minister announced that the cash award in lieu of leave will be increased from 160 days to 180 days, in recognition of the challenges faced by some civil servants in clearing their leave days due to additional work.

“This also allows leave days to be accumulated for the purpose of cash reward for retirement, which will subsequently increase the retirees’ cash in hand.”

Meanwhile, he said the Public Service Department has been ordered to expedite its studies on the civil service remuneration system to be more relevant to today’s environment while taking into account the government’s financial capacity. – The Vibes, August 30, 2022