The submission by Cuepacs for a pay increase for civil servants is well merited. This is because rapidly rising costs have led to declining living standards for public servants and their families all over the country.

In particular, the lowest-scale group is presently receiving salaries of less than RM500 a month, which places them in the group of relative and hardcore poor.

The quantum of increase for the higher salaried groups needs to be stringently scrutinised on the basis of national affordability and socio-economic justice. A progressive salary increase with the lower scales receiving higher percentages and the higher scales, in particular Superscales, receiving considerably less is necessary to ensure fairness and equity.

Already the salary differential within the Malaysian civil service is amongst the worst in the world. It should also be noted that a high increase for the top scales is likely to increase the income inequality in Malaysia, which is already among the worst in the Asian region.

Members of the public may not be aware that the higher scale civil servants are the recipients of substantial bonuses, allowances and numerous non-cash perks and lucrative privileges.

The salary review by the government is clearly urgently required. At the same time, Cuepacs and other stakeholders, should press for a comprehensive review of urgent reform issues that have been ignored by the government during the past two decades.

This includes issues of structural change to ensure higher efficiency and productivity, merit-based service conditions pegged to market performance and encouraging recruitment of non-Malays to ensure a more representative civil service.

In view of the new global challenges and rapid changes facing the country, it is timely for a royal commission to be appointed that would deal with civil service reform in its entirety so that the over one million civil servants and the public at large are given clear directions on how our civil service can serve as a catalyst to a better future for all.