The Kedah state government is proposing to raise the salary and allowance of state assemblypersons including speaker, deputy speaker and exco members by 50 percent, except the menteri besar who will get a 25 percent pay rise.   

The proposal to raise the salary and allowance of legislators was tabled by the state Industry and Investment, Domestic Trade, Cooperatives and Consumer Affairs Committee chairperson Ku Abdul Rahman Ku Ismail.   

“Even though the proposal if passed by the assembly will see a 50 percent increase in salary for all, the menteri besar has requested his pay rise be capped at 25 percent,” he told the state legislative assembly sitting at Wisma Darulaman in Alor Setar today.

He said the proposal if passed by the assembly, would see the salary of state assemblypersons rose by 50 percent from RM4,112 a month presently to RM6,169 a month from next year.   

The 25 percent pay hike for the menteri besar will see his salary increase to RM17,718 a month from RM14,175 currently, Ku Abdul Rahman said.  

He said it was not often a menteri besar wanted his salary increase to bereduced compared to what other members were receiving.   

The salary increase for Kedah legislators was deemed appropriate as their last salary review was 11 years ago in 2004, he added.   

According to him, with the approval of the assembly, the salary of the speaker would rise by 50 percent to RM9,163 from RM6,092 a month while the salary of his deputy would increase from RM3,993 to RM5,989.

Meanwhile the salary of state exco members will rise from RM6,109 a month to RM9,163 a month in the exercise.  

Ku Abdul Rahman said salary hike proposal would also involve pension increase for about 51 former members of the assembly, including former menteris besar, speakers, deputy speakers and exco members.

- Bernama