KUCHING, March 23 — A total 126,000 federal officers serving in Sarawak will each receive a RM500 incentive from the state government in May, State Secretary Datuk Amar Jaul Samion said today.

He said the payment will be made a month earlier, instead of June, as announced by Chief Minister Datuk Patinggi Abang Johari Openg at the State Civil Service Day on December 4 last year.

In his announcement, Abang Johari said most of the federal officers in Sarawak were teachers and medical personnel serving in rural areas.

He said the RM500 incentive was one way of showing the state’s appreciation for their service and contribution to the people.

"We want Sarawak to remain peaceful,” he said at the Sarawak Civil Service Day.

He also said he asked the Congress of Unions of Employees in the Public and Civil Service Sarawak (Cuepacs) to look for sites to build affordable houses for federal officers in the state.

"We want to help them as well,” he added, stating that the federal officers had contributed to the development of the state.

Cuepacs had asked the state government for land to build affordable houses as well as financial incentives after an announcement that state civil servants would receive a two-month bonus of their basic salary.

Under the State Budget 2020, state civil servants were given a two-month bonus of their basic salary or a minimum RM2,000.

They received the bonus before Christmas last year.