KUALA LUMPUR, March 26 — Datuk Seri Anwar Ibrahim today lauded the announcement that all Cabinet ministers’ salaries will be deducted for the next two months and channelled to the Covid-19 fund.

In a "live” video address on his Facebook page, the PKR president said he warmly welcomes the decision that part of the salaries of the prime minister, ministers and their deputies will be contributed to the fund.

"The move proves that the people’s demands and social media’s role in insisting that leadership shows a good example works.

"It also displays their readiness in sacrificing a bit of their daily earnings is effective,” Anwar said.

The 72-year-old Port Dickson MP added that before this he had ordered all PKR federal lawmakers to contribute their maximum towards hospitals, district police headquarters and poor areas within their parliamentary constituencies.

"With the cut in their allowance and fund contribution in Opposition areas, it should not disrupt our service to the people,” said Anwar.

Earlier, the government issued a statement announcing that the cut in Cabinet ministers’ salaries was done in light of the Covid-19 crisis and as a testament to the government’s commitment to combating the deadly infection.

It was previously reported that the prime minister receives around RM22,826 a month.

The Covid-19 fund was launched on March 11 as part of the government’s effort to help those affected by the virus.

Up until yesterday, the total donation including the government’s grant was RM8,493,103.48.