Omar Bahrain Unin
SIBU (April 20): The Sarawak Congress of Unions of Employees in the Public and Civil Services (Cuepacs) is again requesting the government increase the minimum salary for civil servants to RM1,800 per month in order to cope with the rising cost of living.
Chairman Omar Bahrain Unin said this is also in line with the government’s recent announcement of an RM1,500 minimum wage for large private companies and government-linked companies (GLCs) starting May 1.
“Cuepacs will submit the proposal for the minimum wage for civil servants to Prime Minister Datuk Seri Ismail Sabri Yaakob at a meeting in the near future,” he said in a statement.
Omar said a minimum wage of RM1,800 would be closer to the national poverty line income of RM2,208 per month.
“Add in with some fixed allowances, then it will give the civil servants a minimum salary of RM2,200 to RM2,300 per month and this will provide a sense of comfort and relief to the civil servants to manage their family’s monthly expenses,” he said.
According to him, Cuepacs has long proposed to the government to increase the minimum wage for civil servants to cope with the rising cost of living and increasing prices of goods.
He pointed out it was impossible for married civil servants with a basic salary of below RM1,800 to buy a house.
“Even for an RM200,000 house, it will require the civil servants to pay a housing loan reaching up to RM1,500 or more a month for a period of up to 30 years,” he explained.
Additionally, Cuepacs also urged the government to consider increasing some types of fixed allowances for civil servants, which have not been reviewed for far too long, he said.
“Among them include the Permanent Housing Allowance (ITP) and the Regional Incentive Payment (BIW) allowance for Sarawak and Sabah civil servants,” he added.