PUTRAJAYA: Prime Minister Datuk Seri Anwar Ibrahim has asked civil servants to be patient on the issue of the rising cost of living.
Anwar said the government had tried its utmost best to allocate assistance for civil servants under the revised 2023 Budget last Friday.
"They asked that the salary to be reviewed and raised. I agree with that, however, there was no stern approach toward the issue that we are facing previously.
"The nation's debt has reached almost RM1 trillion with a deficit of 5.6 per cent and if we increase salaries, the deficit will increase to 6.5 per cent.
"This will cause no investment in the country as investors are not confident that Malaysia has a strong political will to better manage the country," he said when met by reporters after the 'Islamophobia International Forum: A Meaningful Engagement Through Madani Discourse', today.
Anwar said this in response to the disappointment expressed by the Congress of Unions of Employees in the Public and Civil Services (Cuepacs) over the lack of solutions presented to tackle the rising cost of living faced by civil servants in the 2023 Budget.
Its president, Datuk Adnan Mat, said reducing individual income tax would not have a significant impact on the people's income, especially civil servants.
He said civil servants wanted a new remuneration system as the current one has not been reviewed since November 2002 and was not suitable for the current economic environment.
Adnan said the government did not commit to re-evaluating the public service remuneration system to increase the income of civil servants.
Following this, Anwar said he also needed to take care of the hardcore poor categories such as fishermen and farmers.
"I am aware that politics could cause different understandings among us.
"However, it is not easy for me as I need to also focus on farmers, fishermen and so on as they struggle to make ends meet.
"We feel that we are at a disadvantage, but there are people who are facing an even tougher life to survive."
On Friday (Feb 24), Anwar tabled the revised 2023 Budget with an allocation of RM388.1 billion.
Among the initiatives announced for civil servants included early redemption of cash instead of accumulated leave of up to 50 per cent with a maximum of 90 days, as well as provision of special Aidilfitri financial assistance of RM700 to all civil servants Grade 56 and below.