The Kedah state assembly has approved a motion to raise the salary and allowance of its members by 50 percent.      

It was passed after legislators from both the Barisan Nasional and opposition agreed to the motion.  

Menteri Besar Mukhriz Mahathir said the motion would be brought before the chairperson and members of the Kedah Regency Council for approval.

He said several proposals on improving allowances debated by members of the assembly earlier would be discussed at meetings with state government committees.  

“We will study and make comparisons with other states as there is a need to meet the financial requirements of representatives. Some assemblypersons even want the pay increase to be effective from January this year, which we will give the appropriate consideration,” he said when winding up debate at the assembly yesterday.      

On the RM18 million a year allocation for the e-Tutor education portal which was raised in the assembly, Mukhriz said it was an incentive by the state government to bring the state to be within the top five in the country.       

He said should it fail to achieve the top five position, the state government would discontinue the programme.

“e-Tutor for Year Four and Year Five students has been seen to be effective in Perak,” he said.

Earlier, during the debate, the state government was told to provide assemblypersons with special allocations to operate their service centres.

Kedah opposition leader Amiruddin Hamzah (PAS- Anak Bukit) said service centres were set up to facilitate the people obtain services from their representatives.

‘50pct pay rise still insufficient’

Meanwhile, Nor Saidi Nanyan (BN-Kuah) said the 50 percent salary and allowance increase effective next year was still insufficient.

“The improved monthly salary at RM6,169 is comparatively low as many other states are paying their representatives more than RM10,000 in line with current needs.   

Ali Yahya (BN-Pantai Merdeka) said even civil servants were better off than state assemblypersons as they did not have to wait so long for a salary review.    

He proposed the state government raise the salaries of its legislators by 100 percent to enable them to serve the people more effectively.

Meanwhile, State Environment, Chinese Community Affairs, Health and Unity Committee chairperson Leong Yong Kong said people with health risk factors should stay away from recreational centres to avoid contracting leptospirosis or rat urine infection .

“This is more so when medical experts are still searching for an effective antibiotic to cure the disease,” he said in reply to a question.

- Bernama