PUTRAJAYA: The Finance Ministry will propose to the prime minister financial assistance for civil servants in conjunction with the upcoming Hari Raya Aidilfitri, said its Minister Lim Guan Eng.
He said the assistance would be for civil servants in the lower grade bracket and set to be announced later by Prime Minister Tun Dr Mahathir Mohamad.
“I will propose to the prime minister in the Cabinet meeting for financial assistance for those in the low income group. But, please do not expect the amount to be big.
“At least we will try to work something out for the lower ranking civil servants. This is Hari Raya, there must be something (for them).
“But, the amount will be announced by the prime minister,” he said in his speech that was issued after the ministry’s close-door monthly gathering on Friday.
Last year, civil servants received RM500 each of special financial assistance so that they could make Aidilfitri’s preparation.
During the tabling of 2018 Budget on Oct 27 last year, former prime minister Datuk Seri Najib Razak had announced that civil servants would get special payment of RM1,500 that would be paid twice - RM1,000 in early January this year and RM500 during the upcoming Aildilfitri celebration.
Lim also called on all civil servants to be patient and considerate towards the current government as the nation’s economy was not that good.
In the first Cabinet meeting last Wednesday, he said it was decided that ministers would undergo pay cut of 10 per cent of their basic salary.
“But, we do not impose the pay cut on all of you. We will rather reduce our salaries first than yours (the civil servants).
“We try to portray a leadership image through example by having our salary cut and not the civil servants’.
“The message we want to convey is that Malaysia’s economy is faced with issues due to leakages and misappropriation of funds that happened under the previous government,” he explained.
On the people’s welfare, Lim said the government would always put the welfare of the people first.
“We will ensure the people’s welfare is being taken care of. This is not only Pakatan Harapan’s struggle, it is my personal commitment too.
“I hope all of us in the Finance Ministry will not only work towards stimulating the country’s economy, but also to uphold our responsibility by being fair to all so that no one will be left behind.
“We want Malaysia to be an entrepreneurial and caring nation.”
On the ministry’s role, Lim had stressed that the government was facing fiscal and national debt issues whereby the country’s financial status was not in tune with what was disclosed to the people.
“However, (we must) uphold promises even though (we) encountered a fiscal position (issue),” he said, adding he would consolidate the country’s financial report and system in the first few weeks of his appointment as the Finance Minister.
The report is expected to provide a clear picture based on basic economic principles and no information would be kept secret.
“We have also asked renowned accountancy firm such as PricewaterhouseCoppers to help us to smoothen the process further,” he added.
This is important in balancing the country’s fiscal position and promises made by PH during the 14th General Election.