KOTA KINABALU: Civil servants in several states are set to receive special aid in conjunction with Hari Raya Aidilfitri.

       For Sabah, Chief Minister Datuk Seri Hajiji Noor said the state government will give out a special Aidilfitri and Pesta Kaamatan bonus of RM500 to state civil servants.The payment to civil servants on Grade 54 and below would be paid before the Aidilfitri and Kaamatan celebrations in May, Hajiji told reporters in Tawau.

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

       Ismail Sabri said on Tuesday that all federal government employees under Grade 56 and below would receive a RM500 assistance for Hari Raya. The payment would be credited on April 25 together with the April salary. Pensioners would also receive a special cash incentive of RM250.

       In SEREMBAN, some 4,050 Negri Sembilan government employees will receive a half month’s pay or a minimum of RM1,000 in cash aid in conjunction with Aidilfitri, said Mentri Besar Datuk Seri Aminuddin Harun. The exercise is expected to cost the state government some RM6mil.

       He said 1,669 employees in local councils and 207 in statutory bodies would also receive the cash assistance.

       “A total of 5,926 people will get the cash aid.

       “This assistance is to show our gratitude for their contributions,” he told reporters after chairing the state exco meeting yesterday.

       He said the cash would be banked in with their salaries on April 15.

       In Alor Setar, Mentri Besar Datuk Seri Muhammad Sanusi Md Nor said a special aid of RM1,000 had been approved for Kedah civil servants.

       The approval would involve all civil servants of various levels and posts entailing an allocation of RM5.35mil, reported Bernama.

       He also said a special Raya aid would be given to Village Development and Security Committee chairmen and secretaries statewide involving 2,050 recipients and an allocation of RM307,500.

       “It will be channelled through the respective state assemblyman service centre.”

       In Kuching, the Sarawak government agreed to give a special Raya and Gawai Dayak aid of RM500 to civil servants.

       The Office of the Premier of Sarawak, in a statement, said the aid would be paid this month, namely, before the coming Aidilfitri and Gawai Dayak.

       Meanwhile, a total of 120,615 officers and members of the Malaysian armed forces, along with about 200,000 veterans will also receive the special aid in conjunction with Aidilfitri, said Defence Minister Datuk Seri Hishammuddin Hussein.

       He urged MAF veterans not registered with the Veterans Welfare Department of the Malaysian Armed Forces to do so to enjoy the aid.