KUALA LUMPUR, Oct 5 — The public service must justify their increments and bonuses as is the case with the private sector, said former Treasury secretary-general Tan Sri Mohd Sheriff Mohd Kassim.

While saying he was not averse to raising benefits for public workers, Sheriff stressed that taxpayers must be convinced of the wisdom in doing so, as the cost would ultimately be paid for using public funds.

Sheriff added that workers in the private sector not only must meet set targets to get their bonuses, but were also not certain of receiving an annual pay raise.

“The really bad ones may even be asked to leave the company. For those who get increments and bonuses, some get less and some get more, depending on performance,” he said in a statement sent to Malay Mail Online.

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He added that since civil servants already enjoyed additional benefits such as medical care, pensions, and housing benefits, the government must refrain from showering the group with  undue rewards when it tables the Budget for 2018.

Putrajaya will submit next year’s federal spending plan to Parliament later this month.

The 14th general election is also due no later than August 2018, increasing speculation that an election budget will be proposed.

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Sheriff then cautioned that taxpayers would closely watch if increasing benefits for the public sector would cause financial constraints that subsequently lead to a deterioration in public services.