CUEPACS appeals for 3% salary hike for civil servants in Malaysia

In Free Malaysia Today, the Congress of Unions of Employees in the Public and Civil Services (CUEPACS) has appealed to the Malaysian government to consider raising the basic salaries of civil servants by 3% in the 2018 budget.

Azih Muda, president, CUEPACS said in the report that if approved, the increase would help relieve the burden of 62,000 civil servants in the B40 category facing the high cost of living. He said: “The cost of living has gone up by 8% and the situation is among the factors which contributes to low-income civil servants being burdened by debts.”

“As such, we want the salary hike proposal to be given due consideration to relieve civil servants at the minimum wage level of RM1,200 per month,” he told a media conference after chairing a CUEPACS meeting in Malaysia on 20 June.

Additionally, CUEPACS called on the government to review several incentives such as the cost of living allowance (COLA), vehicle allowance and regional allowance, which have not been reviewed for a long time.

“At the moment, the COLA rates received by various civil servants are different. We want it to be reviewed and streamlined in the coming budget,” Azih remarked.

Expressing his regret that CUEPACS was not invited to join the recent budget consultation session held with the prime minister, he added that CUEPACS hoped it would be invited to present the voice of the parties as a body representing 1.6 million civil servants.

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