IT is not the right time to raise the salaries of civil servants as the country is still in debt, said Prime Minister Dr Mahathir Mohamad.

He said that while the cabinet has decided to increase the wages gradually, Putrajaya currently cannot afford to do so.

“The government of the day is not having an easy time to raise funds. We need to pay debts. It is not the right time for us to give higher pay for civil servants,” Dr Mahathir told a press conference in Bersatu headquarters late on Friday.

However, if Malaysians increase their productivity, there could also be higher chances in getting higher salaries, said Dr Mahathir.

He said this when asked to comment on Pakatan Harapan’s (PH) promise to increase the minimum wage.

The PH chairman added the cabinet has already decided on principle to raise the minimum wages but could not commit for now.

“We only established the principles but it cannot be done immediately because we are the biggest employer with 1.6 million people (civil servants),” said the Bersatu chairman.

Standardising the minimum wage across Peninsular Malaysia, Sabah, Sarawak and Labuan is one of the 10 election pledges made by PH, which it promised to fulfil in 100 days.

Currently, the minimum wage in Peninsular Malaysia is RM1,000 while in East Malaysia, it is set at RM920. PH had pledged to set the minimum wage at RM1,500. – August 11, 2018.