Penang: The Penang government has announced a 0.75-month salary or a minimum RM1,000 Special Financial Aid (BKK) to 3,954 state civil servants as an appreciation for their service in the state administration.
According to BERNAMA News Agency, Chief Minister Chow Kon Yeow made this announcement during the tabling of the state's Budget 2026, stating that the aid would be disbursed next month, impacting the state's finances by RM11.49 million. Additionally, supervisors and teachers of Quran and Fardu Ain classes (KAFA), along with teachers of Sekolah Rendah Agama Rakyat (SRAR) and Sekolah Menengah Agama Rakyat (SMAR), as well as staff of SRAR, SMAR, and Sekolah Agama Bantuan Kerajaan (SABK), are set to receive a one-off RM300 payment.
Chow further elaborated that other beneficiaries of the RM300 payment include tahfiz, pondok, and Islamic kindergarten (TADIS) teachers, as well as teachers and staff of Chinese private schools in the state, totaling 3,358 individuals. This announcement was made while tabling the budget at the State Legislative Assembly.
Meanwhile, the state government has introduced the Contract Staff Sick Leave Aid (BCSK) initiative, aimed at providing additional welfare support for civil servants hired under the Interim Contract Appointment (LKI) scheme. This initiative ensures that these officers continue to receive appropriate protection when dealing with serious health issues. Eligible LKI officers, certified as unable to work due to health reasons, can receive aid payments equal to their current emoluments.
Chow emphasized that this initiative underscores the state government's commitment to the welfare of contract-appointed officers, aligning with governance principles centered on well-being, empathy, and social justice in public-sector human resource management.
Furthermore, Penang has adopted a new policy for recruiting civil servants through LKI, effective January 1, 2025, in line with the Federal Government's policy. Chow also presented the state's RM1.088 billion budget for operating expenditure, with a projected deficit of RM19.92 million, marking the lowest in the state's history. The 2026 Budget's operating expenditure signifies an increase of RM147.72 million, or 15.71 percent, compared to Budget 2025, which amounted to RM940.223 million.