KUALA LUMPUR: The Human Resources Ministry will consider reviewing the cost of living allowance (COLA) for civil servants.
Its minister M Kula Segaran said the COLA was last reviewed in 2012 and set at RM300, RM250, and RM150, based on locations.
“I will take it into consideration,” he said when asked if the government would consider reviewing COLA for civil servants amid rising costs of living.
Kula Segaran was speaking to reporters yesterday after witnessing the signing of a new collective agreement between Malayan Commercial Banks’ Association and National Union of Bank Employees, which will see some 20,000 bank employees in clerical and non-clerical categories from 20 banks receiving salary adjustments between 10 and 12 percent.
Under the agreement, the cost-of-living allowance payable to bank employees has been raised to RM600 from RM400, effective from Jan 1 this year.
Meanwhile, commenting on the Human Resources Development Fund’s controversial property purchase in Bangsar South without the knowledge of the (HRDF) board, he said the organisation’s top management would need to sort it out.
He refused to elaborate on the matter, saying that the Pakatan Harapan government was all out to clean up the corrupt practices that took place under the previous government.
A local daily had reported the alleged abuse of power and mismanagement of funds in HRDF over its purchase of property in Bangsar South four years ago, purportedly done without the knowledge of its board members and investment panel.
HRDF reportedly spent RM154 million inclusive of goods and services tax (GST) for the property and had paid some RM40 million even before the issuance of the tax invoice.
Quoting unnamed sources, the daily claimed that HRDF’s board of directors in fact had approved the acquisition of another property, also located in Bangsar South for RM141 million before GST. – Bernama
