While the government’s intention of raising the remuneration of civil servants is to reward and motivate them, nevertheless, such government policies should be based on the principles of merit, fairness and justice. Establishing a robust performance evaluation and monitoring mechanisms to reward outstanding and meritorious performance whilst penalising laziness and incompetence within the public sector is essential.

It is a disservice to taxpayers if indolent and inept civil servants are rewarded with a 13% pay jump as this not only undermines public interest, but also tarnishes the overall image and reputation of the civil service. Therefore, the government needs to carefully weigh the interests of all parties and consider the long-term implications when formulating policies regarding civil service salary pay hikes.

Civil servants are the backbone of government institutions, and their performance directly impacts the administrative efficiency and quality of public services. Therefore, the government must ensure that civil service remuneration aligns with their performance and delivery, and cannot be simply measured by the length of service, salary, relationships with superiors, or titles.

The government's announcement of a 13% salary ascent for civil servants, along with raising the minimum wage from RM1700 to RM2000, will result with an additional expenditure of approximately RM10 billion for the country. Wanita MCA hopes this announcement is not a mere tactic ahead of the upcoming by-election in Kuala Kubu Baharu, Selangor. The government needs to be cautioned against burdening the nation further just to appease civil servants.

In addition to a climb in salaries, Wanita MCA urges the government to provide more training programmes tailored to sectors where the country urgently needs skilled and semi-skilled workers, while also offering opportunities for advancement to civil servants who perform well.

The government needs to actively listen to voices from various segments of society and seek extensive public input in the formulation of salary increment policies. Collaboration with non-governmental organisations, unions, experts, and scholars should be sought to jointly study and discuss the formulation and implementation of salary increment policies, ensuring their scientific basis and fairness.

Furthermore, Wanita MCA hopes the government will earnestly address the concerns and suggestions of the various industries in society and transparently disclose the specific content and implementation details of the salary increment policy to the public, thereby promoting reforms, transparency and enhancements in the public sector whilst contributing positively to the construction of a more just, egalitarian, and harmonious society.

Tee Hooi Ling
Wanita MCA National Deputy Chairperson

6 May 2024

-MCA Comm-