The salary of top Selangor officials have been slashed following an amendment passed today, with pay cuts up to 36.51 percent.

The speaker's wages is cut by a third from RM22,500 to RM15,000 per month, deputy speaker from RM15,750 to RM10,000 (36.51 percent), menteri besar from RM29,250 RM25,000 (14.53 percent) and executive council (exco) members from RM20,250 to RM15,000 (25.93 percent).

However, there is no change for the salary of state assemblypersons, which remains at RM11,250 per month.

With this amendment, the wages for the top state officials are still higher than pre-2014 levels.

They were RM 6,109.29 for the speaker, RM3,327.50 for the deputy speaker, RM14,175 for the menteri besar, RM6,109 for exco members, and RM6,000 for assemblypersons.

At RM25,000, the MB's basic wages is also higher than the prime minister's basic wage of RM22,826.

The motion was tabled by Menteri Besar Azmin Ali, seconded by exco member Teng Chang Khim and passed by the House after a debate.

Azmin's predecessor Abdul Khalid Ibrahim faced criticism for raising the wages of the state cabinet and assemblypersons starting this year, by up to 373 percent.

Azmin (right) said the cut is to allow the government to focus its resources on capital expenditure instead of operating expenditure.

"The amendment also takes into consideration of the duties carried out by leaders, no matter the time," he told the state assembly today.

The amendment was also done following the Pakatan Rakyat Presidential Council’s decision to review the earlier pay hike, he said, in view of economic hardships faced by the people.

The amendments, effective Jan 1 next year would result in RM1.029 million in savings per year, he said.

'Assemblypersons' pay should be cut, too'

While debating the amendment, Sekinchan assemblyperson Ng Suee Lin argued against the pay cut, citing the hard work done by the official in executing their duties.

Kampung Tunku assemblyperson Lau Weng San suggested that the pay of the speaker is increased above that of exco members, to give due recognition to the importance of the legislature.

It would also be fairer if wages of state officials and assemblypersons are adjusted based on inflation rates, instead of arbitrary pay hikes, he said.

Hulu Klang assemblyperson Saari Sungib, on the other said that said the wages of assemblypersons should be docked as well to show solidarity with the people’s hardships.

However, Azmin replied that it is the norm of Westminster-based parliaments to pay the same amount to the speaker and cabinet ministers.

He added that the current pay for assemblypersons is considered "very reasonable" and only extra allowance was needed for their constituency work.

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