Its secretary-general, Abdul Rahman Nordin, said the SSPA should not be used as an excuse to accumulate debt, which could eventually lead to financial strain.

“If loans are needed, they should only be for future gains, such as for housing or children’s education, not to buy a mobile phone and so on.

“The risk is that civil servants could end up financially burdened,” he said on Bernama TV today.

Under the SSPA, officers in the implementation, management and professional groups will receive a phased salary increase of 15%, with 8% in Phase 1 starting this month, and 7% in Phase 2 beginning in January 2026.

The top management group will receive a 7% increase, with 4% in Phase 1 and 3% in Phase 2.

Rahman also said the implementation of SSPA was timely as civil servants’ salaries had not been reviewed for nearly 12 years while the cost of living had steadily risen during the period.

He said Cuepacs respected the decision of the 1,400 civil servants who had declined the SSPA offer.