Speak up, Anwar tells ministers as anger mounts over repeal of critical allowance

Anwar Ibrahim says the Pakatan Harapan government must pay attention to public feedback in the wake of the decision to abolish the critical allowance for civil servants.

PETALING JAYA: PKR’s Anwar Ibrahim has waded into the controversy surrounding the government’s decision to do away with the critical service allowance for 33 sectors in the civil service, urging ministers to speak up in the Cabinet.

“This matter should be discussed again by the government in its first Cabinet meeting in 2020.

“The government must take into consideration the anxiety and apprehension of the people,” Anwar said in a short statement.

Anger has been brewing among government doctors and medical staff who will bear the brunt of the Public Service Department’s (JPA) decision to stop paying the critical service allowance, which was introduced in 1992.

The move could see newly-graduated doctors, nurses, pharmacists and dentists who join the public sector next year being paid 15% less than their senior counterparts.

An online petition by the Malaysian Medical Association (MMA) against the decision has gained more than 80,000 signatures at press time, with many taking to social media questioning the government’s priorities. - FMT