There are other more important things than civil servants pay rise. For me:
1. Minimum salary scheme
2. Special salary scheme for police / military which is different from other civil servants
3. Financial education
Me don’t think by paying more to civil servants could solve all problems. It could be some relief to them, at least for few months. But actually the system we live inside doesn’t help them much. You must learn the investment of the rich or you will left financially behind.
Pic taken from MuhtarSuhaili.com
When the government announced pay rise, me and my brother were discussing about it:
[Background sound: Mukhsin soundtrack]
Me: Well, it couldn’t help much.
Bro: Why?
Me: The poor become poorer, the rich become richer. And you, the middle class person is the one who will suffer the most. And Perodua just launched Viva and government will take all the money back from people (pay rise) by selling Viva and car loans, car insurance, road tax etc.
Bro: Hey, how much do you earn now?
Me: It is not about that, look… now we have KLCI bull run and CPO too, MYR strengthening against dollar, but do you get any benefits from all these good things?
Bro: None.
Me: Exactly. You’re indirectly get some benefits from all these things. But I get the benefits directly same like what our government are getting now. Government has all the Bursa, GLC, IRB, custom etc to make huge profits. And I get profits too either KLCI is up or down. You? All you get is only 15% pay rise. Flour and roti canai price hikes some more.
Bro: Well… if the government decide not to give pay rise, I get nothing.
Me: And you … middle class person is the one who will pay more in taxes. Government won’t help you if you suffer financially because your income is not the income of the poor. Government will only help poor people, not middle-class. Can you ask for zakat or any other aids (e.g skim pinjaman buku teks) ?
Bro: Yeah.
Well… Everyone has a first poor story to tell.