1,200 Home Ministry personnel in rural areas to get special incentive

IPOH: Some 1,200 personnel and officers under the Home Ministry will receive a special incentive from the government, says Datuk Seri Hamzah Zainuddin.

The Home Minister said the incentives were given to those who served at 98 facilities in the rural areas of the country, including Sabah and Sarawak.

“The monthly incentive will be paid out to four agencies under our ministry, namely the police, Rela, National Registration Department and Immigration Department.

“The payment will be made starting from June 1.

"We have different categories for each area, Pendalaman (Rural) 1 will receive RM500, P2 (RM1,000) and P3 (RM1,500)," he said after attending the ceremony to posthumously promote Corporal Safwan Muhammad Ismail to the rank of Sargeant at the Northern Brigade general operations force on Friday (June 19).

He said the criteria to determine the degree of the rural areas were based on transportation mode, travel risk, water and electricity sources.

“We also consider other criteria such as accommodation, telecommunication, health services, schools and facilities such as banks, post offices and fuel supply.

“This is our way to thank them for working in rural areas. We are a government that cares and will help out those who are still with us, ” he said.

The incentive will benefit about 1,064 police officers and personnel, 93 National Registration Department, Immigration Department (29) and 14 from Rela.

Also present were Home Ministry secretary-general Datuk Jamil Rakon and Inspector-General of Police Tan Sri Abdul Hamid Bador.

Sgt Safwan had died after he was run over by an alleged drunk driver who ploughed through a movement control order (MCO) roadblock along the Lekas Highway on May 3.

His mother, Norriza Mat Sani, 53 said she was surprised to see the Home Minister and IGP at the event.

“As his family, we truly feel touched to see them taking their time to appreciate and recognise Safwan. We would like to express our thanks to them, ” she said.