Malaysian PM Anwar Ibrahim has announced civil servants will get RM500 (S$142) for Hari Raya Aidilfitri.

This was a reversal of his earlier statement that civil servants would not get an extra bonus for the occasion, as they already received an early incentive.

Payments to begin this week

At the Prime Minister’s Department monthly address on Apr. 1, Anwar, who is also the finance minister, announced that civil servants on Grade 56 and below, as well as contract appointees, will be paid RM500 (S$142) each.

“I have informed the Treasury for the special Aidilfitri financial assistance to be distributed beginning this Friday, April 5, 2024,” said Anwar, according to Malay Mail.

He also said government retirees and veterans — both those with and without pensions— would receive RM250 (S$71), reported The Star.

Backflip

At the end of March, New Straits Times reported that Anwar said there would be no bonus payments for civil servants in conjunction with Hari Raya Aidilfitri this year.

A payment of RM2,000 (S$571) was already presented to civil servants on Feb. 24, according to Malaysiakini.

This payment was an early incentive payment for the Hari Raya Aidilfitri celebration.

In his monthly address on Apr. 1, Anwar addressed this, saying, "we were wrong, we were too early”.

He said the payment was based on public feedback:

“When I met some civil servants yesterday, I asked them if they were satisfied with the Aidilfitri bonus.

Many were reluctant to express their concerns, but others claimed it had already been spent.

Following my previous statement, even the chief secretary to the government has been reluctant to bring up the matter, so I haven’t spoken to him about it yet.

But I am aware that many of your hearts have been pounding.”

Top image from Anwar Ibrahim/Facebook