The Penang government has announced a special Hari Raya bonus of RM400 for its 3,577 staff, which would be disbursed on Sept 3, one week before the festival.

This is the first time that such a special payment has been paid for state civil servants. The move will cost the state RM1.5 million.

“The special payment of RM400 in conjunction with Hari Raya Aidilfitri shows that the state government appreciates the state civil servants.

“The state cabinet hopes that the state civil servants will strive even harder to improve the delivery system and provide better services,” said Penang Chief Minister Lim Guan Eng in a statement.

The move is believed to be aimed at countering claims that the DAP-led government was anti-Malay.

Umno and its allies have been claiming that Lim’s administration had been marginalising the Malay-community in the state since Pakatan Rakyat coalition took over in 2008.