Budget 2017: Goodies galore for civil servants

PETALING JAYA: Goodies are in store for civil servants under the Budget 2017 in the form of increased housing loans, more affordable houses, and quarantine leave.
The goodies announced are:
» Housing loans increased between RM200,000 and RM750,000;
» Eligibility for housing loans will be increased from RM120,000 to RM200,000 and the highest loan amount from RM600,000 to RM750,000;
» another 30,000 units of Perumahan Penjawat Awam 1Malaysia (PPA1M) will be built with a selling price of between RM90,000 and RM300,000 and these homes will be available at 20% below market price;
» leave up to five days without record if children are ill and quarantined;
» smartphone facility, limited to RM5,000, which can be used once every three years;
» introduction of a one-year extension of contract of service for officers whose employment expires at the end of this year;
» a new civil servant Grade - 56 - has been introduced between Grades 54 and Premier Grade Groups (JUSA) C for medical and dental specialists.
Prime Minister Datuk Seri Najib Abdul Razak who announced this while presenting the Budget 2017 in Parliament also gave assurance that the government will appoint the first group of doctors, dentists and pharmacists on contract at the latest by December due to constraints in permanent posts.
This means that nearly 2,600 doctors without housemanship will now serve as contract staff.