The RM800 special payout to Penang’s 7,812 civil servants was funded entirely by the state government, said Chief Minister Lim Guan Eng.

“Not a single sen was paid by the federal government,” said Lim, adding that a total of RM6.25 million was disbursed on Dec 1.

NONE Lim was referring to the RM800 special assistance payment to civil servants to help offset school-related costs.

He also pointed out that special payout was more than the RM500 special financial assistance extended to federal civil servants under Budget 2011.

“Along with the previous RM500 ‘ duit raya ’ payment and now the RM800 special payout, this means that all Penang civil servants have received RM1,300 extra this year. This is what I mean by enriching the civil service.

NONE “I am confident that if we improve our work performance, we can be sure that Penang’s civil servants will always be better rewarded than civil servants of the federal and other state governments,” he said.

He said that the RM1,300 payout this year was the state government’s recognition of the civil service’s commitment towards realising the state government’s agenda.

Meanwhile, Lim also announced that a special RM100 payment to the state’s 1,376 religious teachers in conjunction with the Islamic new year celebration will be paid by this week.