Riyadh – The Custodian of the Two Holy Mosques King Salman bin Abdulaziz Al Saud chaired the Cabinet’s session at al-Yamamah Palace in Riyadh on Monday.

The King issued four Royal decrees ordering the reduction of salaries of ministers by 20% and salaries of Shura Council members’ by 15%.

The King also ordered stopping provision of vehicles for senior officials until the end of 1438 Hijra. Ministers and those in similar ranks shall pay the amount exceeding SR1,000 toward their monthly landline and mobile phone bills.

However, troops in combat on the Saudi southern border and those in security, military and intelligence operations outside the country are exempted from the Royal Decree.

The royal orders are as follows:

The first order states a cut on the salary of a minister by (20%) and the reward of a member of the Shura Council by (15%) starting from the date of 01/01/1438.

The second royal order issued a cut on the annual subsidy of a member of the Shura Council for the purposes of housing and furniture by (15%) and the lump sum that is paid to a member of the Shura Council by (15%), and which includes the value of the car, which is provided to the member, the required driver, maintenance and fuel during the specified term of four years.

The third royal order issued exempted the military men actually participating in the military actions in the southern borders of the kingdom and the participants in the military, intelligence and security operations outside the homeland from the provision on withholding the annual increment of 1438 AH.

The fourth royal order issued stopped provision of cars to senior state officials until the end of the financial year (1438/1439 AH) and stated that ministers shall pay the dues of their fixed and mobile phones as of the date of 01/01/1438 AH.