KUALA LUMPUR, Oct 21 — Loans for housing, smartphones and laptops for the country's 1.6 million civil servants will be increased, Prime Minister Datuk Seri Najib Razak announced today.

Under Budget 2017, the public servants’ housing loans eligibility will be increased from between RM120,000 and RM600,000 to between RM200,000 and RM750,000.

The 2017 government budget will also extend the existing computer loan facility to encompass the purchase of a smartphone. This facility can be utilised by public servants once every three years with a maximum loan of RM5,000.

The government has also decided to increase the motorcycle loan limit from RM5,000 to RM10,000.

Najib also announced the target completion of 30,000 units of 1Malaysia Civil Servants Housing (PPA1M) with a selling price of between RM90,000 and RM300,000, which is 20 per cent below the market price;

Other announcements are the extension of a fully paid study leave with scholarships.

He also announced the provision of quarantine leave of up to five days without record to public servants whose children are ill and required to be quarantined.