THE government is set to finalise pension rates under the Public Service Remuneration Scheme (SSPA) soon, according to Chief Secretary Tan Sri Shamsul Azri.
Around 900,000 retirees await confirmation on whether their pensions will be adjusted to match the new salary scheme.
“We are finalising it now. Next week, we will bring it back to the cabinet and make a decision,” he said, hinting that some good news may be announced.
He was also asked whether the government would provide a second chance such as extending the signing period for those who did not opt for SSPA and said the current focus is on the implementation of the scheme’s first phase.
“For now, we are focusing on those who have signed, and we’ll evaluate the results. Let’s complete the implementation of this first phase first,” he is quoted by Bernama.
It was reported that only 0.13% (1,400 people) of 1.5 million civil servants did not opt for SSPA before the deadline on November 30.
On October 31, Public Service Director-General Tan Sri Wan Ahmad Dahlan Abdul Aziz stated that government retirees would also benefit from SSPA, with pensions adjusted accordingly.
This adjustment will increase pension rates based on government approval, allowing retirees to enjoy similar raises as serving civil servants. —Dec 15, 2024
Main image: The Star
