Yangon, Myanmar. Average monthly wage in Myanmar are raising slightly especially if you are a government official. The latest announcement from the current Myanmar government states that, all government officials will have an allowance in addition to their regular salary. All government officials including Army officers and soldiers will have 30,000 Kyats ($36 USD) as a grant together with their regular month salary. With the new grant policy, it is only for the officials who are currently working inside the country but those who are currently studying abroad as a government scholar will not be included, Modern News Journal reported. For workers on daily wages, who are currently paid 1,100 Kyats ($1.3 US Dollar) per day, will get extra 1,000 Kyats, so that they will get 2,100 Kyats in total which will be about 2.5 US Dollar per day.
Pyi Thu Hlutaw (public parliament), Hlutaw chairman, Thura U Shwe Mann initiated the matter concerning with the raising pay scale for all government officials. But his statement was rejected by the finance minister in Hlutaw but Thura U Shwe Mann told at his press conference with the local media that he will try his best for the government officials to get more pay.
At President U Thein Seinn’s first year anniversary of presidency speech, he also stated that only 3.3 percent of the total population is government officials, so government needs to consider for the remaining 96.7 percent of people. If government raises the pay scale of government officials, commodity prices will also rise up and the remaining 96.7 percent will be affected. However, he also stated that government will try its best for the government officials. According to his words, even though government officials’ pay did not rise up, they are now going to get extra 30,000 Kyats as a grant for every month.
Retired professor, Daw Ye Ye Myint from University of Economyexpress her opinion that, “It is not an easy decision for the president. He made this uneasy decision by considering the best for all Myanmar people.” “If government reinforce in production of the basic food such as rice, oil, meat and fish, they can control the commodity prices.” She added.
As government will provide extra grants for the government officials, there is some dissatisfaction among private company staff when it comes to average monthly wage in Myanmar. Some companies are also thinking about raising the average pay scale for their staff. A fashion store owner told that “as government provides allowance for the officials, we have no choice but to raise up the average monthly salary of our staff.”