ALOR SETAR: Kedah civil servants will each receive RM1,000 in special financial aid under the state’s 2022 budget, says Datuk Seri Muhammad Sanusi Md Nor.

       The Mentri Besar said the whole exercise will cost RM5.6mil.

       “Civil servants continued to perform their duty despite the difficult situation during the pandemic. Government matters ran smoothly and state revenue increased,” he said when tabling the state’s 2022 budget yesterday.

       He said the payment was in appreciation of the contributions and sacrifices of the state’s 5,000 civil servants. He hoped the announcement would raise their spirits to continue to give their best.

       Muhammad Sanusi also announced a one-off payment of RM500 each for state-appointed mosque officials and religious teachers, similar to what was announced by the Federal Government recently for all Federal-appointed mosque officials.

       Last month, Finance Minister Tengku Datuk Seri Zafrul Tengku Abdul Aziz said a special one-off payment of RM500 will be disbursed to 70,000 mosque officials including imams, muezzins, mosque caretakers, Fardhu Ain and Kifayah (Kafa) teachers.

       Muhammad Sanusi said the state government will continue to give RM2,000 monthly to Opposition assemblymen and RM8,000 to government assemblymen for their service centres.

       He said it will cost the state government RM3.768mil next year.

       He said the state government will also allocate RM50,000 annually to Opposition assemblymen to help those in need and for small-scale programmes.