KUALA LUMPUR, April 4 — The government is conducting a comprehensive study on the rationalisation of public service allowance rate, the Dewan Negara sitting was told today.
Deputy Minister in the Prime Minister’s Department (Sabah, Sarawak Affairs and Special Functions) Datuk Ugak Kumbong said although the study was comprehensive, priority was given to the allowance rate below RM100.
“We will also look into the rationalisation of other public service allowances which have not been reviewed for more than 20 years,” he said during the winding up session of the Supply Bill 2023 in the Dewan Negara.
He was responding to a suggestion from Dr Wan Martina Wan Yusoff who wanted the Public Service Department (PSD) to review the ‘on call’ allowance rate for medical officers.
Ugak said the government through PSD is also studying the living allowance (ESH) rate for sponsored students studying abroad to help reduce their cost of living.
Meanwhile, Ugak said as of April 1 this year, there were 1.005 million civil servants in the service, excluding police and military personnel.
He said of the total number, 764,601 were Malays; 75,743 were Sabah Bumiputeras; 66,839 were Chinese; 48,171 were Sarawak Bumiputeras; 41,450 were Indians; 6,526 were those of Bugis and Siamese descent; and 2,252 were from the Orang Asli community.
Currently, there are five parties that are in charge of recruiting civil servants, namely the Public Services Commission (SPA), the Judicial and Legal Service Commission, the Police Force Commission, the Education Service Commission, and the Malaysian Armed Forces Council.
“For the SPA, the appointment method is based on on merit and candidates’ competence without involving quotas for a particular ethnicity or race,” he said.
He said this in reply to a question from Senator Datuk Kesavadas Achyuthan Nair about the percentage and composition of races in the public service at the moment. — Bernama
