Sarawak announces salary-based aid for state staff and RM700 for federal workers
The state assistance is due before the end of 2026, with separate payments announced for retirees and eligible private media practitioners.
Sarawak civil servants will receive assistance equivalent to two months’ salary, while federal personnel working in the state will get RM700 each, Premier Tan Sri Abang Johari Tun Openg announced on 21 October.
Addressing the assembly in Kuching at the close of debate on the 2027 State Budget, he said the state employees’ entitlement would be calculated using their final basic salary as of November 2026. The money is due before 2026 ends, with estimated spending of RM144 million for 19,851 employees.
He said the federal staff assistance would be a one-off payment, expected to cover 132,347 personnel and cost an estimated RM93 million. Disbursement is scheduled for the first quarter of 2027.
Retired state civil servants will separately receive RM500 each in one-off aid. Abang Johari put the expected number of recipients at approximately 10,141 and estimated expenditure at RM5.1 million. He also announced RM700 per person for private media practitioners registered with six Sarawak media associations.
