PENANG, 9 Sept 2008: The state government will pay a bonus of a month’s salary to some 10,000 civil servants in the state, Chief Minister Lim Guan Eng said.
He told a news conference that the bonus payment, which would involve an expenditure of RM8 million, would follow what had been announced by the federal government recently.
The federal civil servants would receive a month’s salary in bonus or at least RM1,000, which will be paid in two instalments – this month and in December.
Lim hoped that the federal government would pay the bonus on behalf of the state government.
He added that at a meeting with the prime minister recently, all state governments had asked for the federal government’s help in paying for the bonus as the financial burden of the states were high.
Lim also welcomed the decision by Sriwijaya Air, Indonesia’s third largest airlines, to make Penang as its hub for the Asean region and hoped that more airlines would consider doing the same.
Meanwhile, domestic trade and consumer affairs executive councillor Abdul Malik Abul Kassim said the state government had identified a site in Batu Kawan to be turned into Penang international halal hub aimed at spurring the state’s economic growth.
"We will be utilising all the existing halal products to push forward the halal hub while at the same time, taking steps to register new halal products," he said.
Abdul Malik said the state government had also identified an area in Balik Pulau to be turned into halal international health tourism.
To achieve the target, a Halal Development Corporation would be created to issue halal certificates for products in the state, he said. – Bernama
