Minister in the Prime Minister’s Department Liew Vui Keong said based on figures as of June 30, 866,270 of 1,146,222 civil servants including the police force earned salaries of below RM5,000.
“This makes up 76% of the civil service,” he said, adding that they were from officers in the Grade 44 category and below.
Mansor Othman (PH-Nibong Tebal) had asked the minister on steps taken by the government to assist civil servants in facing current economic challenges.
Liew said the civil service salary structure was based on a reasonable wage concept to cater to basic needs such as food, clothes, and housing.
He said aside from basic salary, civil servants also received fixed incentives and allowances.
This additional sum, said Liew, would decrease the number of those earning less than RM5,000 to 742,561 personnel, or 65%.