Penang state government raises allowance for assemblymen

The Penang state government on Friday announced an increase in the allowance for its Assemblymen to RM6,000 per month effective Jan 1, next year.

Chief Minister Lim Guan Eng, when tabling the 2014 Supply Bill at the State Legislative Assembly sitting here, said the allowance for the opposition leader was also raised from RM1,000 to 2,000 per month.

"The state government realises that the allowance of RM4,112.79 per month for the assemblymen had not been changed since January 2004 and the quantum was not commensurate with the work load and responsibility entrusted to the state assemblymen.

"As such, the state government has agreed to amend the Members of the Administration and State Assemblymen (Remuneration) (Amendment) Bill 2005 so that the monthly allowance rate will be raised to RM6,000 which will be paid on Jan 1, 2014," he said.

Penang has 40 assemblymen of which 10 of them are BN assemblymen represented by UMNO.

When approached later, Lim declined to respond to questions from reporters on whether the salary for the Chief Minister and State Exco would also be raised beginning next year.

"I only said what I had mentioned in the State Assembly," he said.

He also announced the payment of a half-month salary with a minimum of RM700 to be paid to state civil servants next month.

"On the whole, the bonus payment by the state government to the civil servants in 2013 was one month salary. KAFA teachers and supervisors will also be paid RM400 each," he added.