PETALING JAYA: The review of the Public Service Remuneration System Study (SSPA), which concerns the new civil service salary scheme, is in its final stages.
Prime Minister Datuk Seri Anwar Ibrahim has indicated that the long-awaited update to the SSPA is expected to be unveiled before the year's end, following a decade-long period of stagnant salaries for civil servants.
Additionally, he also announced the government's intention to grant greater flexibility to women who were seeking to manage household obligations alongside their contributions to the nation.
This may entail offering compensation on the basis of shorter working periods, he said, a factor to be considered during the ongoing review process.
"We are currently studying and I will discuss with the Chief Secretary to the Government, Tan Sri Mohd Zuki Ali, and the Director-General of the Public Service (KPPA), Datuk Seri Wan Ahmad Dahlan Abdul Aziz to provide space and flexibility for women.
"Malaysia will be the first country to provide such recognition to women to continue working while taking care of households if it is realised," he said during his speech at the International Women's Day celebration 2024 last night.
Present at the event were the Women, Family and Community Development Minister, Datuk Seri Nancy Shukri, and Education Minister, Fadhlina Sidek.
The SSPA study, which also focuses on aspects of salary increases and allowances in the public sector, is expected to take almost two years and is a reform initiative in the public service in line with the aspirations of Developing Malaysia Madani.
On Feb 6, Anwar said that the final report on the Public Service Remuneration System Study (SSPA) is expected to be completed within the next two months.
Anwar, who is also Finance Minister, affirmed that the finalised guidelines would subsequently be presented for approval during the cabinet meeting.
In November last year, he also announced that the government was committed to rolling out the new salary scheme by the end of this year.
He said the salary alignment study, typically conducted every 10 years, required extensive coordination across various government departments.
In August, the government announced that it was preparing to provide detailed information about the salary increase for approximately 1.3 million civil servants ahead of the presentation of the 2024 Budget in October.