JPA director-general Shafiq Abdullah said these changes involved salary revision, increased minimum starting pay and improving the salary structure as a whole.

“For example, in 2016, we adjusted all starting salaries by one additional increment.

“Apart from that, we have improved the policies involving the welfare of civil servants. This included working from home, flexible working hours, better leave facilities like leave to handle children with Covid-19 and also providing special allowances,” he said in a statement.

Shafiq was responding to calls by Cuepacs president Adnan Mat on Wednesday to raise the salaries of civil servants before the current Parliament is dissolved or risk facing pickets.

He assured civil servants that JPA was actively taking steps to improve their salaries, with several factors taken into account.

He said JPA was always open to hearing views on the welfare of civil servants through multiple platforms, including consultations with government agencies and workers’ unions.

“Continued improvements to civil servants’ wellbeing, including their salaries and career development, is being done holistically, after taking into account the country’s economic and financial position,” it said yesterday.

Last week, Cuepacs also urged the government to approve its proposal to bump up the salaries of civil servants to help them cope with rising prices of goods and the cost of living.

Adnan said the current salary structure of civil servants had been in place since 2002 and must be reviewed to ensure it was relevant to current times.