KOTA KINABALU: The Sabah government will give out a special Hari Raya Aidilfitri and Pesta Kaamatan bonus of RM500 to state civil servants, says Datuk Seri Hajiji Noor.

       The Chief Minister said the payments to Grade 54 civil servants and below would be paid before the two celebrations in May.

       The state bonus payment - involving some 18,000 civil servants - is similar to the assistance payment for federal civil servants announced by Prime Minister Datuk Seri Ismail Sabri Yaakob.

       Hajiji, who was in east coast Tawau to provide assistance to Kg Kurnia Jaya fire victims, said that the government has allocated RM10mil for the affected victims to rebuild their house that was razed on March 17.

       He said another RM8.2mil was channelled to fire victims of Kg Bangau Bangau who lost their homes in fire about seven years ago.

       Hajiji - who handed over mock cheques to Tawau Municipal Council president Joseph Pang and Semporna district officer Juraimin Jadil - said that the local councils would channel the money to the victims to help rebuild their homes.

       He noted that victims of Kampung Bangau Bangau fire had already rebuilt their houses and the money was to assist them with necessary improvements to better their houses.

       He said the assistance showed the government cared about the fire victims especially in this month of Ramadan while helping them ahead of the Hari Raya celebrations.

       Hajiji also handed over cash aid to the Kg Kurnia Jaya fire victims during the ceremony held at the Tawau Community Hall.