All Penang elected reps approve pay rise
(TMI) – Penang today joined its Selangor counterpart in increasing the salaries of its elected representatives when it announced an 80% increase at the state legislative assembly today.
All 40 lawmakers from Pakatan Rakyat and Barisan Nasional backed the amendments Members of Administration and Members of the Legislative Assembly (Remuneration) 1980.
They will each receive a pay of RM6,000 instead of RM4,112.79, backdated to June this year.
Opposition leader Datuk Jahara Hamid (BN-Telok Air Tawar) benefits the most as her allowance as opposition leader was increased by 100% from RM1,000 to RM2,000.
The salaries of the assemblymen had not been adjusted since 2004.
The amendments also include death and disability benefits for assemblymen, the chief minister, state executive councillors and the speaker of the assembly.
The death and disability benefits for assemblymen now amount to RM300,000, instead of RM120,000 and RM240,000 previously.
For the chief minister, the benefits at RM750,000 and RM1.5 million have been increased to RM1,875,000.
For the speaker, the benefits at RM500,000 and RM1 million have been increased to RM1.25 million.
The amendments to the Members of Administration and Members of the Legislative Assembly (Remuneration) 1980 were unanimously passed after the bill was tabled by state local government exco Chow Kon Yeow (DAP-Padang Kota).
The elected representatives will also get higher allowances, from RM2,000 to RM5,500, made up of RM1,500 for special allowance, RM1,500 for fixed allowance for the driver, RM1,000 each for fixed transport and miscellaneous allowances, and RM500 in housing allowance.
The revised allowances are to be gazetted at a later date together with the amendments.
This means the assemblymen will enjoy a total gross income of RM11,500 a month, which is an 88.13% increase from RM6,112.79.
Earlier, during the debate on the amendments, two Barisan Nasional backbenchers supported the pay hike and even proposed that the chief minister and exco members get an extra pay hike that befits their positions.
Muhammad Farid Saad (BN-Pulau Betong) said Chief Minister Lim Guan Eng and the state executive council members should also enjoy a 10% pay rise on top of the increased salary they will receive as assemblymen.
“Lim works very hard as chief minister. He does not have time to attend some meetings and has to send representatives,” he said.
Datuk Mahmud Zakaria (BN-Sungai Acheh) lauded the increase in allowance for Jahara, saying that it was timely due to the challenges she faced as a female opposition leader.
“It is timely since we also heard much about gender equality in the august house yesterday.
“But the pay hike should also benefit the other side. The chief minister and the excos should get a 15% rise too,” he said.
