KUCHING, April 5: Civil servants and teachers in the country deserve an annual one month salary bonus, instead of one-time handouts as election goodies, says PKR national women vice-chief Voon Shiak Ni.
Responding to the announcement by Prime Minister Datuk Seri Najib Tun Razak that civil servants will get another increment on July 1 which will cost the government RM1.46 billion, Voon said she viewed this move as an election handout to get the support of all civil servants to vote for Barisan Nasional (BN) for the coming GE14 which is just around the corner
“We welcome the move to give extra increment this year, but how about yearly bonuses?” asked the Pakatan Harapan national women’s chief for Sarawak in a press statement today.
She pointed out that all civil servants and teachers have never enjoyed the benefit of a one month salary bonus since Najib took office as the Prime Minister eight years ago.
Before Najib’s tenure, civil servants could get at least one month’s salary bonus or at least half a month’s bonus.
“In his eight years of tenure, Najib’s national budget did not have a record of one month bonus for our teachers and civil servants and they were given RM500 as special grant in these years.
“In 2010, Najib was quoted as saying that civil servants will not get a bonus that year as it will cost the government about RM3.1 billiom and he said that he cannot spend more than the national revenue.
“I wish to point that too, at the moment, we also do not have the revenue as our national debt is nearing a trillion (ringgit). In these circumstances, we see the handouts by Najib as a one of his election goodies and propaganda,” said Voon.
Voon said civil servants deserve the goodies, as that is exactly what the government should do, giving back to the people as the people are the investors for the government coffers instead of wasting public funds on white elephant projects or due to other leakages.
She stressed that once Pakatan Harapan took over Putra Jaya, all the good projects will continue such as BR1M, Pan Borneo Highway, upgrading of hospital facilities, roads and development and all civil servants will remain and stay with the new government.
“Due to the leakages in the present system and the escalating national debt, we need a revamp of the present system and only you can do it by coming out to vote this coming GE14,” she said. — DayakDaily
