Govt to consider review of civil servants’ cost of living allowance

The cost of living allowance for government servants is set at RM300, RM250 and RM150, depending on the location. (Bernama pic)

KUALA LUMPUR: The human resources ministry will consider reviewing the cost of living allowance (Cola) for civil servants, its minister M Kula Segaran said.

The allowance, set at RM300, RM250 and RM150, depending on the location, was last reviewed in 2012.

“I will take it into consideration,” he said when asked if the government would consider reviewing the Cola for civil servants amid the rising cost of living.

He was speaking to reporters after witnessing the signing of a new collective agreement between the Malayan Commercial Banks’ Association and National Union of Bank Employees here today.

Under the agreement, some 20,000 bank employees in clerical and non-clerical categories from 20 banks will receive salary adjustments of between 10% and 12%.

They will also receive a cost-of-living allowance of RM600, revised from RM400, from Jan 1.

Commenting on the Human Resources Development Fund’s (HRDF) controversial property purchase in Bangsar South, without the knowledge of its board, Kula Segaran said the organisation’s top management would need to sort it out.

He declined to elaborate but said the Pakatan Harapan government was going all out to clean up any corrupt practices that took place under the previous government.

A local daily had reported that HRDF spent RM154 million, inclusive of goods and services tax (GST), for the property and had paid some RM40 million even before the issuance of the tax invoice.

The report also claimed that HRDF’s board of directors had approved the acquisition of another property, also located in Bangsar South, for RM141 million, before the imposition of GST. - FMT