COVID: S'wak state Exco, assemblymen to contribute part of salary for two months

KUCHING: Members of the Sarawak State Executive Council and state assemblyman from Gabungan Parti Sarawak (GPS) will contribute part of their salaries to the Sarawak Disaster Fund for a period of two months beginning June.

The Sarawak Chief Minister's Office in a statement today said the initiative was taken to show the GPS government's continued commitment to helping the people affected by the COVID-19 pandemic.

The contribution that will be made through salary deduction beginning this month is expected to collect RM3 million.

"The rate deducted will be according to the position, where the Chief Minister will contribute 30 per cent (of his salary); Deputy Chief Minister (25 per cent); Ministers and Speaker (20 per cent); Assistant Minister (15 per cent) and state assemblyman (10 per cent).

"The GPS government will also consider continuing and extending the contribution if the pandemic continues," he said.

Political secretaries under the GPS government will also contribute as much as five per cent of their salaries during the same period.

Meanwhile, the statement said the GPS government had also decided that Sarawak civil servants will contribute a certain amount of their Fixed Entertainment Allowance (ITK) based on their salary grades for two months beginning in July.

According to the statement, the contribution involving almost 7,000 civil servants in the state is expected to collect RM300,000.

"Frontline members who are directly involved in curbing and controlling the COVID-19 outbreak are excluded.

"The GPS government will also ask all state government-linked companies (GLCs) to participate in this contribution," read the statement.

-- BERNAMA