Salary hike: Cuepacs hopes prices of goods won't rise

SHAH ALAM - The increase in civil servants' salaries by more than 13 per cent is hoped not to have an impact on the increasing prices of goods.

Congress of Unions of Employees in the Public and Civil Services (Cuepacs) Secretary-General Abdul Rahman Mohd Nordin said that the prices offered in the market must be fair and proportional to consumer income.

"We hope that this salary increase can help civil servants cope with the increasing cost of living. We want a comfortable salary, especially since it has been 21 years since salary reviews were last adjusted.

"That's why I say the increase in salaries should not lead to higher prices for goods. What we want is for salaries to rise in tandem with the cost of goods, and we hope this increase can support those at the lower end," he said.

He said this as a panellist at the Sinar Wacana titled 'Salary Increase: How Does It Affect Productivity?'.

The programme was held at Studio F Karangkraf, Shah Alam, and aired on all Sinar Harian digital platforms at 8.30pm on Tuesday.

Also shared the stage with Rahman were Ledang Member of Parliament Syed Ibrahim Syed Noh and economist Dr Baayah Baba.

Rahman added that some civil servants were forced to seek side jobs to sustain their livelihoods and support their families.

"Because their salaries are not reaching more than RM3,000, it's not enough to live, especially for those living in the Klang Valley. To live comfortably in this area, income needs to be more than RM10,000 per month.

"This is what causes them to work elsewhere or resort to undesirable actions, especially to meet commitments such as transportation, rent, and so on," he explained.