IPOH: Civil servants deserve an increase in salary and this will be the priority when the country’s economy improves, says Datuk Seri Anwar Ibrahim.
The Prime Minister said what was announced in the revised Budget 2023 was the funds the government was currently able to allocate.
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“However, we know that the salary of civil servants generally can be increased, including Fire and Rescue Department (Bomba) personnel.
“But for that to happen, the country must be peaceful and attract more investments for the economy to pick up,” he said in his speech before launching the Tambun Fire and Rescue station here yesterday.
Anwar said with the national debt at RM1.5 trillion, the government needed to reduce its deficit.
“People will not invest if the deficit is high,” he added.
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Before the launch of the station yesterday, Bomba personnel demonstrated their use of vehicles, including helicopters, along with other equipment and their K9 Unit during an operation to rescue landslide victims.
This is how we do it: Fire and rescue personnel demonstrating a rescue operation during the opening of the new fire and rescue station in Tambun Ipoh. — RONNIE CHIN/The Star
Anwar, who visited Turkiye after the recent earthquake, lauded the Malaysian personnel who took part in rescue operations there.
He said the weather there was six or seven degrees Celsius below freezing.
“But when I visited SMART (the Special Malaysia Disaster Assistance and Rescue Team), including firemen, not one complained about the food, being tired, the weather or other difficulties.
“All of them were grateful because they were able to serve and make the country proud.
“Even the president of Turkiye himself was impressed with our team, and personally told me to convey his gratitude,” he added.
Earlier, Local Government Development Minister Nga Kor Ming in his speech said his ministry aims to build 15 new fire stations in the country this year.
“For Perak there are two new stations, one in Tambun and the other in Trong,” he said.
