BANDAR SERI BEGAWAN

ANY increment to civil servants’ salaries would depend on the government’s financial capability and private sector concerns in hiring Bruneians, the Second Minister of Finance at the Prime Minister’s office said.

Yang Berhormat Pehin Orang Kaya Laila Setia Dato Seri Setia Hj Abdul Rahman Hj Ibrahim said the government would take a holistic approach in considering any initiatives or proposals to fund any programmes, including raising civil servants’ wages.

During the 10th Legislative Council session, the minister said there had been several government initiatives which indirectly resulted in a salary increase, for example living allowance as well as annual salary increment.

YB Pehin Dato Hj Abd Rahman added that any initiatives must also be aware of policies aimed at strengthening local employment in the private sector.

In this context, the government is taking careful steps so as not to affect the private sector’s competitiveness in attracting more locals to work in the private sector, he added.

The minister said this was in line with the government’s policies to encourage more locals to contribute to the country’s economic diversification efforts through their employment in the private sector.

He also called on employers in the private sector to ensure the welfare of locals they employed, and to improve this welfare from time to time based on their capabilities.

In response to a question posed by Legislative Council member YB Hj Jumat Akim, he said budget allocation for government projects are aimed at ensuring people’s welfare are not affected.

YB Hj Jumat Akim asked the minister whether the accelerated increment which was introduced on July 15, 2006 could be extended to civil servants working after the said date.

The accelerated salary increment was announced during His Majesty the Sultan and Yang Di-Pertuan of Brunei Darussalam’s 60th birthday celebration in 2006.

YB Pehin Dato Hj Abd Rahman said the accelerated salary increment was a form of appreciation for existing civil servants on July 15, 2006 for their service.

The increment revised the salaries of everyone who was in the civil service, the Royal Brunei Police Force and Royal Brunei Armed Forces.

YB Pehin Dato Hj Abdul Rahman said this was not extended to those working after July 15, 2006 because that would mean changing the policies for new civil service appointments.

This was not the objective behind the accelerated salary increments, he added.

The Brunei Times