Malaysia’s King and Queen donate their salaries
Malaysia’s King and Queen are donating their salaries to the COVID-19 fund
Image adapted from: The Malaysian Reserve
The past month has one of the toughest our country has had to face due to the COVID-19 outbreak and the Movement Control Order (MCO) that’s still underway. Resources have been spread thin, businesses are suffering great losses, and many more Malaysians are running into financial problems.
While the government has been actively coming up with solutions to ease the economic distress that we’re currently in, there is still a lot to be done. During this time of crisis, Malaysia’s King and Queen have decided to stop receiving their salaries for the next 6 months in order to help ease the country’s financial burden.
Determined to eradicate COVID-19
Yang di-Pertuan Agong and Raja Permaisuri Agong’s generous move comes after the Cabinet announced that ministers will be taking a 2-month pay cut to donate to Putrajaya’s COVID-19 fund, as reported by Malay Mail.
The fund was set up on 11th March 2020 as part of the government’s effort to provide aid to individuals and communities affected by the pandemic. It was previously reported that the total donated sum stood at RM8,493,103.48.
Image credit: Channel News Asia (AFP)
Now with the King and Queen’s hefty donation, the figure will see an increase of at least another RM500,000. This is in line with Civil List Act 1982 where it is stated that the Agong earns an annual income of about RM1 million. While the Queen’s salary is unknown, it is safe to assume that the country’s COVID-19 fund will soon see a large increase in contributions.
According to Bernama, the Majesties’ donations reflect their concerns regarding the growing numbers of COVID-19 cases and the discouraging financial situation that the country is currently in.
King and Queen fighting the battle with COVID-19 along with us
It’s heartening to see that our country’s beloved King and Queen are willing to go as far as to donate 6 months’ worth of their salaries in order to protect Malaysians who have been affected by the COVID-19 pandemic. The government will also find the Majesties’ aid useful in their battle to eradicate the virus off our streets.
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