Good news for civil servants in Kedah

State govt announces RM2,000 bonus in appreciation of staff’s contributions

As for victims of natural disasters like floods, aid will be raised from RM100 to RM200 for those who are registered at relief centres.

Datuk Seri Ahmad Bashah Md Hanipah

ALOR SETAR: The Kedah government has announced a special payment of RM2,000 for the state’s civil servants. The whole exercise will cost RM14mil.

Mentri Besar Datuk Seri Ahmad Bashah Md Hanipah, when tabling the state’s budget for 2018 in the state assembly yesterday, said the payment would be made in two tranches – RM1,000 in December and RM1,000 before Hari Raya Aidilfitri next year.

He said the payment was in appreciation of the contributions of the 6,000 civil servants in the state, saying they were the “heartbeat” of the administration.

Ahmad Bashah also announced that from January next year, the state government would foot the water bills of domestic users who used 20 cubic metres or lower a month.

“The move is to encourage water conservation and increase the reserve capacity at reservoirs,” he said, adding it would benefit 221,000 consumers.

For this move, the state has to pay an average of RM1.5mil a month or RM18mil to Syarikat Air Darul Aman Bhd.

Ahmad Bashah also announced more good news.

Among them is the general assistance for recipients from the Welfare Department be raised from RM150 to RM200.

It involves 4,000 recipients, entailing an allocation of RM2.5mil.

“As for victims of natural disasters like floods, aid will be raised from RM100 to RM200 for those who are registered at relief centres.

“Under Dana Warisan Pendidikan Anak Kedah, 30,000 Year One students who enter the 2018 school session will be given RM100 each in the form of a Skim Simpanan Pendidikan Nasional account,” he said.

Ahmad Bashah said the incentive for kampung and Kelas Asas Fardu Ain teachers would be raised to RM600 from the present RM450.

Earlier, the state assembly began the sitting with the approval of a motion of condolences over the passing of Sultan Abdul Halim Mu’adzam Shah of Kedah after a 59-year reign.

The motion was tabled by Ahmad Bashah and seconded by state executive councillor Datuk Dr Ku Abdul Rahman Ku Ismail.

Speaker Datuk Md Rozai Safian approved the motion after it received unanimous support from all 36 assemblymen present and asked them to offer the Al-Fatihah prayer. — Bernama