KUALA LUMPUR: Civil servants in Grade 56 and below will receive a one-off special payment of RM500 by the end of the year, as a sign of appreciation for their efforts and dedication to their jobs.
Finance Minister Lim Guan End said in addition, RM250 would be given to government retirees, including non-pensionable veterans.
“The country records its appreciation to the armed forces, police, Fire and Rescue Department, Customs Department, doctors, nurses, teachers and all civil servants for tirelessly striving to make Malaysia better,” he said in tabling the 2020 Budget in Dewan Rakyat today.
This RM500 special payment is a continuation of a similar payment made by the government last year, although it only involved those Grade 54 and below then.
Apart from the special payment, all Fire and Rescue Department personnel will receive a special allowance of RM200 a month for the whole of next year, which will cost the government RM35 million, Lim said.
He said this was in recognition of their service in answering emergency calls day and night, adding that a total of 14,400 personnel would benefit from this.
Lim added that civil servants would be allowed early redemption of accumulated leaves for up to 75 days as replacement pay, for those who have at least 15 years of service; and
“The Public Sector Home Financing Board (LPPSA) will also offer free personal accident insurance (up to RM100,000 coverage) for two years to new government housing loan borrowers,” he said.
To help relieve the burden of dependants to civil servants who have died in service, the government will introduce an ex-gratia death benefit of up to RM150,000 payable to dependants of the deceased.
