Hajiji
KOTA KINABALU (July 19): The State Legislative Assembly has approved a bill to increase the salaries of administration and Legislative Assembly members at the August House.
Chief Minister Datuk Seri Panglima Hajiji Haji Noor has proposed for the bill entitled “Members of the Administration and the Members of the Legislative Assembly (Remuneration) Enactment 1981” to be amended on Tuesday.
Following the passing of the bill on Tuesday, the Chief Minister’s salary is increased from RM23,595 to RM33,033; deputy chief ministers will see an increase from RM20,872.50 to RM29,221.50; and ministers will see an increase of salary from RM16,335 to RM22,869.
Speakers will also enjoy a higher wage with their monthly income increased from RM16,335 to RM22,869; assistant ministers and deputy speakers from RM12,705 to RM17,787; State assemblymen from RM7,950 to RM11,130; and political secretaries from RM5,445 to RM7,623.
When tabling the bill, Hajiji explained that it was connected to the remuneration of state legislative assembly members, speaker, deputy speaker and members of administration.
He said that the proposed bill was to ensure the remuneration received is at par with the remuneration received by members of the assembly and administration members at other states in Malaysia.
“The last time the enactment was amended to review the remuneration of state assemblyman and administration members was in 2015,” said Hajiji.
He added that in line with the current times, the increasingly challenging tasks of assemblymen and administration members and the physical situation of the state, it was time for the remuneration to be reviewed and matched the efforts and commitments given by the assemblymen and administration members.
Several assemblymen took part in debating the bill, the first of whom was Sungai Manila’s Mokran Ingkat who gave his support.
“I hope that with the increase, I can increase my effort to develop my constituency and give my service to the community to foster harmony,” he said.
He also joked that he hoped the government would consider another increase in the near future.
Tungku assemblyman Assaffal Alian, while expressing his support for the bill, urged the August House to consider the perception of the people.
“I agree with the proposal to increase (the remuneration), and we should return to the people in the form of giving a better service and manage the perception of the people on the hike,” he said.
Sindumin assemblyman Datuk Dr Yusof Yacob also expressed his support and said that the increase was in line with the present time, the burden of the assemblymen’s work.
“In the past, an assemblyman only had a small constituency, with a small population, but now, the population is vast. We have to attend so many events. This bill is also in line with the expenditure of the assemblymen – topping up the driver’s allowance which is at poverty level, the housemaid and so on,” he said.
He added that the remunerations for other states have already been increased.
“Sabah is the only one left behind. Maybe we are the last,” he said.
However, the bill was not received by all.
Senallang assemblyman Datuk Seri Panglima Mohd Shafie Apdal disagreed with the bill and asked what formula was used to arrive at the new salaries proposed.
“I know there is a lot of burden. But I just want to know the formula,” he said.
He also alleged that Felda chief executive officer would be getting a monthly salary of over RM400,000 while the Felda venturers at Umas-Umas Tawau had to go into debts to eat.
“I know the burden is heavy but I hope to know the formula used. I know that the government is getting more, the sales tax from petroleum, oil palm when the price was up, I know that when compared to Sarawak, our ministers are getting less. But is this a suitable time when the economy is burdening the people?
“I don’t agree with what is being done,” he said.