Jeddah -A number of governors, ministers and senior government officials today praised the order of the Custodian of the Two Holy Mosques, King Abdullah bin Abdulaziz, to increase the salaries of all categories of Saudis working in governmental departments and augmenting budgets of all public services.

Prince Fahd bin Sultan bin Abdulaziz, the Governor of Tabuk Region, and Prince Mohammed bin Saud bin Abdulaziz, the Governor of Albaha Region, lauded the decision as evidence of the Saudi leadership”s determination to improve the standard of living for Saudi people.

In separate statements to the Saudi Press Agency, they wished the monarch success and the Saudi people prosperity.

On his part, the Minister of Health Dr. Hamad Almana hailed the SR3 billion increase in the budget of preliminary health care.

On the occasion, he said the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia ranks third internationally in health expenditure, and first within the Middle East.

According to this increase, the Kingdom will have 1124 preliminary health care centers by 2008, Dr. Almana said.

The Minister of Civil Service Mohammed bin Ali Alfayez welcomed the 15 percent increase to all salaries of civil and military personnel within the government, and a one-month basic salary including the new increase for occupiers of Rank No. five or below, as well as others.

Also commenting on the order, the Governor of Technical Education and Vocational Training, Dr. Ali bin Nassir Alghufais thanked the monarch for ordering the allocation of SR30 billion from budget surplus to improving and developing the public services.