Regional Incentive Payment for Armed Forces personnel: Effective July 1
Published on: Thursday, June 01, 2023
By: Jonathan Nicholas
Anwar (centre) receiving a memento from Fifth Division Commander Major General Abdul Rahman A Wahab while Hajiji and others look on.
Kota Kinabalu: The Regional Incentive Payment (BIW) will replace the Sabah and Sarawak Incentive Payment (BISS) and the Peninsula Incentive Payment (BISM) for members of the Malaysian Armed Forces (ATM), effective July 1.
Prime Minister Datuk Seri Anwar Ibrahim announced the good news during his visit to the Fifth Infantry Division at the Lok Kawi Camp, near here, Wednesday.
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He said the approval would benefit a total of 33,586 ATM personnel serving in Sabah and Sarawak, with an additional financial implication of RM87.8 million annually, based on last year’s (2022) recruitment.
“All this while, Malaysian Armed Forces personnel sent to other regions receive BISS or BISM.
“The BISS and BISM rates are lower than the BIW rate received by other public service officers.
“The basis of payment for all three incentives is the same, which is to cover the high cost of living as well as to encourage officers from the peninsula to serve in Sabah or Sarawak and vice versa,” he said.
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Also present at the event were Chief Minister Datuk Seri Hajiji Noor, Defence Minister Datuk Seri Mohamad Hasan, Deputy Chief Minister III Datuk Shahelmey Yahya, Army Chief General Datuk Seri Mohammad Ab Rahman and Public Service Department Director-General Datuk Dr Zulkapli Mohamed.
Anwar also announced a new project involving the redevelopment of 49 units of derelict houses into 47 units of public quarters and a transit house for the Ministry of Defence Sabah branch in Taman Lok Kawi worth RM25 million.
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As for the existing projects, Anwar said the Government allocated RM213 million to build additional multi-class units of the Armed Forces Family Housing (RKAT) scheme at Lok Kawi Camp.
Commenting on the development project in Putatan, Anwar said as much as RM67 million was allocated to upgrade Jalan Lok Kawi from Sabindo roundabout to Sungai Kinarut, apart from RM4.8 million to repair and upgrade the aviary at the Lok Kawi Wildlife Park.
“The Government is also committed to building the new Sekolah Menengah Kebangsaan Lok Kawi, costing RM23 million, which will be developed as soon as possible,” he said.
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