Groups blast Sabah ministers’ wage hike, want focus on people’s welfare

 

The Sabah government should allocate more funds to help its people have a better quality of life instead of increasing the salaries of its ministers, said activists from two Bornean NGOs.

This comes after the Sabah legislative assembly yesterday approved a bill to increase the remuneration of the chief minister, state assemblypersons, and other members of the state administration.

The Members of the Administration and Members of the Legislative Assembly (Remuneration) (Amendment) Enactment 2022, tabled by chief minister Hajiji Noor, was passed by a majority vote of more than 73.

The last time there was an amendment to the salaries was in 2014, which saw a 50 percent hike.

“This is sudden, as more and more families are affected by the cost of living and the soaring prices of goods,” said Kanul Gindol of Gindol Initiative for Civil Society Borneo and Daniel John Jambun of Borneo's Plight in Malaysia Foundation.

In a joint statement, the groups said the argument that increasing the ministers’ salaries can result in better services and assistance to the people is a fabrication by the government.

“We have Sabah ministers whose salaries have already exceeded RM50,000, RM80,000 a month, even though this latest increase has not yet been included.

“They are paid salaries as ministers, state assemblyperson, members of Parliament and other positions, at the same time, if they hold all those positions. 

“Their other income has not been included yet, they have power. Even then, almost all of them are freed for their movement,” they said.

The right to a better life

The activists said the government should instead directly aid B40 families and provide funds to help the people in terms of infrastructure, emergency, and lighting assistance, and to improve the overall quality of government services.

“The people also have the right to a better quality of life, not just the ministers.

“Compared with the income of rubber tappers, small fisherfolk, farmers, subordinate staff, and especially the disabled, do these groups receive benefits every month from these ministers, along with salary increases?

The activists urged Sabah assemblypersons to think of ways the people of Sabah can continue to live comfortably and safely with their limited income when the cost of living is soaring.

“It should consider a way to reduce the cost of agricultural and livestock production.

“The government should give itself six months to resolve this costly matter,” they said. - Mkini