KUCHING, June 4 — The Gabungan Parti Sarawak Backbenchers Club (GPSBC) welcomes the pay cut announced by the state government today as a gesture of solidarity with the frontliners who had fought against the Covid-19 pandemic since last year.
“We welcome the move by the state government as it reflects its concern on the rapid surge of Covid-19 cases state-wide as well as the need to be in solidarity with the frontliners in the anti-pandemic fight,” it said in a statement.
The state government had announced earlier today that the chief minister, his Cabinet, assistant ministers, the State Legislative Assembly (DUN) Speaker and GPS assemblymen, and the political secretaries to the chief minister will have their two months worth of salary or allowances deducted beginning this month and deposited into the State Disaster Fund.
It said their contribution would amount to about RM3 million.
It added that some 7,000 state civil servants would also contribute about RM300,000 contributions to the fund through deductions to their entertainment allowance. Frontliners are excluded from the move.
“We hope that this will to some extent be able to help the Sarawak Disaster Management Committee (SDMC) and other agencies to procure more equipment and supplies to fight Covid-19 as we reach a critical period in the pandemic,” GPSBC said.
It pointed out that the contributions to the fund followed the state government’s move to continue the Sarawakku Sayang Special Assistance (BKSS), which has amounted to RM4.5 billion including RM1.4 billion under BKSS 6.0 announced recently.
The club also urged the state government linked companies to follow in their footsteps and do their part to contribute to the State Disaster Fund.
They said the GPS state government was committed to ensure that Sarawak could fully address Covid-19 and complete its vaccine rollout within the predetermined period.
“At the same time, the state government is also concerned on the health, welfare and safety of the people. We take this opportunity to urge Sarawakians to continue doing their parts to flatten the Covid-19 curve state-wide.
“Stay home, practice self-lockdown, prioritise personal hygiene and only go out when necessary. Do register for Covid-19 vaccination and turn up to your vaccine appointments,” the GPSBC said. — Borneo Post Online
