RM1,500 special payment for civil servants

KUALA LUMPUR: A special payment of RM1,500 will be given to 1.6 million civil servants in the country, Datuk Seri Najib Tun Razak announced.

The Prime Minister, who is also Minister of Finance, when making the most anticipated announcement during the tabling of Budget 2018 in Parliament yesterday, said the payment would be made twice, of which RM1,000 would be paid in early January 2018, while the balance of RM500 during Hari Raya Aidilfitri.

“This is the right time to acknowledge public servants who have been loyal and provide efficient and effective public service delivery to the rakyat,” he said.

Najib also announced a special payment of RM750 to government retirees, of which RM500 to be paid in January 2018 and the balance, during Hari Raya Aidilfitri.

In the budget speech themed “Prospering An Inclusive Economy, Balancing Between Worldly and Hereafter, For The Wellbeing of Rakyat, Towards The TN50 Aspiration”, Najib also announced several other good news for the civil servants which would take efffect on Jan 1 next year, including second time-based promotion to supporting staff after 13 years from the first promotion. He said public servants who retire on medical reasons would be provided with benefit similar to those who retire at compulsory age.

Najib also announced that public servants would be allowed cash award in lieu of accumulated leave (GCR) of more than 150 days to be taken during the retirement year and that the special leaves for education officers be increased from seven to 10 days a year.

Also announced by the prime minister were unrecorded leaves of up to seven days to be provided to public servants throughout their service for the purpose of umrah and flexible working hour one day a week for Grade UD54 and above Medical Specialists who had served a minimum of four years and meet certain requirements.