KOTA KINABALU: Some 20,271 civil servants in Sabah will receive a special payout in the form of a half-month's salary in Jan next year.
Sabah Chief Minister Datuk Seri Hajiji Noor, who is also the state finance minister, said the payout, with a minimum rate of RM1,000, would also include temporary and contract workers.
"Civil servants have not been exempted from being affected by the Covid-19 pandemic.
"However, this has not dampened their spirit to continue to serve the government and ensure the smooth running of the administration," he said while tabling Sabah's 2022 Budget at the state assembly sitting here today.
Hajiji said the state government would fund preliminary works on the construction of affordable housing schemes for state civil servants.
He hoped that such incentives would motivate civil servants to work harder and improve the quality of service for the people.
"The state government welcomes and thanks the federal government for the special assistance of RM700 to all federal civil servants.
"The role of the federal government, driven by federal civil servants, has significant value and meaning to the development of the state," he said, referring to the RM5.2 billion in development expenditure for Sabah in the recently-tabled national 2022 Budget.
The allocation covers the financing of basic amenities, infrastructure, water and electricity supply as well as healthcare.
"I urge the federal and state departments to facilitate the approval process to ensure that development projects can be implemented as planned.
"Although the amount is higher than the previous Budget, the allocation for the development is far from sufficient to meet the primary needs of the state," he said.
Hajiji said apart from the state and federal annual allocation, the state government sees the need to focus on foreign and domestic investment as its engine of economic growth.
He said Sabah has to create a conducive environment either in government policies and incentives or the provision of basic economic infrastructure for investors.
"Therefore, as a long-term strategy to address reliance of the state's economic development on government budget, the federal government needs to take immediate action to address legacy issues relating to infrastructure development in Sabah, which will be a factor of consideration for investors.
"In this regard, specific approaches need to be taken to ensure that high-impact projects ought to be implemented and completed immediately, such as the Pan Borneo Highway and the provision of energy resources as well as complete grid network that meets the current demands of the industry and the daily needs of the people in Sabah."