SHAH ALAM - The recent salary increase for civil servants announced by Prime Minister Datuk Seri Anwar Ibrahim has the potential to ease financial burdens and the cost of living faced by the people, thereby reducing the incidence of corruption in the country.
Ikram Malaysia president Badlishah Sham Baharin said that an individual's involvement in corruption was often driven by external factors such as the cost of living and household economics.
"If for example, they are stressed or pressed financially, this can lead them to resort to corruption and the like.
"Insyallah, we hope that the government's announcement regarding the salary increase will somewhat help in reducing the prevalence of corruption among civil servants.
"Generally, I support the government's move to raise civil servants' salaries," he said.
Last week, Anwar announced a salary increase for civil servants of over 13 per cent starting in December, which was one of the highest and best in the country's history, involving an allocation of over RM10 billion.
Furthermore, Badlishah advised civil servants not to be careless, to manage their finances wisely, and not to incur debts beyond their ability to repay.
"In this regard, they need to consider a lot and not take on too much debt for fear of it becoming a burden.
"If it becomes a burden, then despite having a high salary increase, it will still not be enough because they are spending beyond their means.
"Subsequently, when salaries increase, work productivity must be improved. The same goes for discipline and work performance," he said.