Penang state assembly passes motion to increase salaries of excos, assemblymen

The Penang state legislative assembly Friday passed the motion to amend the Members of the Administration and State Assemblymen (Remuneration) (Amendment) Enactment 1980, which will see a salary hike for all state executive councillors and assemblymen next year.

State Urban and Rural Planning and Housing Committee chairman Jagdeep Singh Deo when tabling the motion said the amendment, among others, would see an increase in the salary of assemblymen from the current RM5,250 to RM11,250.

He said the salary of the Speaker and state executive councillors would also be increased to RM12,109.29 from RM6,109.29, while the opposition leader would get his allowance increased to RM3,000 from RM2,000.

"This will involve an overall additional expenditure of RM227,000 a month," he said.

Jagdeep, who is also Datuk Keramat assemblyman, said the increase, however, did not include the monthly salary for the chief minister, which will remain at RM14,175.15, nor the pension for former Speakers, state executive councillors or assemblymen.