The government will announce a new basic salary for 3,072 civil servants in the Grade 11 group who are currently earning a monthly salary of between RM823 to RM850 by the end of this year, said Public Services Department director-general Mohamad Zabidi Zainal.

He said those in this grade, the lowest in the public service, comprised people who entered it with a Penilaian Menengah Rendah (PMR) qualification, including general office assistants, operations assistants, and drivers, whose total take-home salary and allowance amounted to between RM1,257 and RM1,275.

He said this was the fourth review for Grade 11 after the ones in 2002 when the basic salary was RM480, 2007 (RM649) and 2013 (RM832).

“The government is aware of the group with the low minimum salary. The government is planning to give them a salary increase and is expected to make a public announcement by the end of this year,” he said in a press conference in Kuala Lumpur today.

President of the Congress of Unions of Employees in the Public and Civil Services (Cuepacs) Datuk Azih Muda had earlier been reported to say that there were 400,000 civil servants in the country whose monthly salaries were as low as RM805.

Mohamad Zabidi said the government would also announce a salary review for 252 salary schemes and allowances for civil servants within these groups by the end of this year.

“This review will be announced by the end of the year,” he said.     

- Bernama