August 10, 2011
Khalid has denied that Selangor’s decision is political in nature. — file pic
Similarly, Penang Chief Minister Lim Guan Eng announced today that his administration would be giving out a half-month bonus pay or minimum RM600 to civil servants in the state while Fardu Ain and Religious Class (Kafa) teachers would receive RM300 per person.
Lim said that the bonus was a sign of Penang’s “appreciation” towards the contribution and efforts of civil servants in the state.
“This bonus can help civil servants prepare for the Hari Raya celebrations,” he told reporters today.
Khalid has, however, denied that Selangor’s move was political in nature, insisting “the state has funds so we should give according to our capability.”
Najib had announced the half-month bonus to 1.3 million government staff and RM500 to 600,000 pensioners ahead of Hari Raya amid rising concerns over inflation.
The prime minister, who is expected to call a general election within the year, said that the payout totalling RM2 billion “can lighten the burden ... for the upcoming Aidil Fitri celebration” which falls at the end of the month.
Hari Raya Aidil Fitri is expected to see muted celebrations after the consumer price index hit a two-year high of three per cent in March and continued to rise to 3.5 per cent in June, when government subsidies for basic necessities were slashed.
Putrajaya said that the price hikes to fuel, sugar and electricity were necessary to keep a subsidy bill from doubling to RM21 billion this year, as it seeks to reduce its budget deficit that hit a two-decade peak of seven per cent in 2009.
Barisan Nasional (BN) has traditionally held strong in areas with large populations of civil servants such as Putrajaya, an important vote bank for the ruling coalition.
But in the landmark 2008 general election, where it ceded five state governments and its customary two-thirds majority in Parliament, BN saw its majorities cut in these areas and even lost the Shah Alam federal seat, previously considered an Umno stronghold where most of Selangor’s civil servants reside.
Selangor is expected to be a major battlefield for the coming general election with Umno determined to win back the country’s richest state.
Najib has called on BN’s machinery in the state to reclaim it “at all costs.”
Along with a two-thirds majority in Parliament, Selangor is also a prize that the BN chief is said to require to guarantee he stays in office.
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