PUTRAJAYA: In view of the escalating cost of living, the Malaysian Trade Union Congress (MTUC), Jaringan Rakyat Tertindas (JERIT) and Malaysian Socialist Party (PSM) have urged the government to review the minimum wage and raise it to RM1,500 across the board by next year.
PSM workers bureau chief M. Sivaranjani said the proposed minimum salary adjustment was in line with the minimum wage order that must be reviewed once every two years by the National Wages Consultative Council (MPGN).
“As this is the year for the government to revise the minimum salary effective next year, we are here to submit our proposal. We would like to thank MPGN for agreeing to discuss this matter with us today,” Sivaranjani told reporters after attending the MPGN meeting at the Human Resources Ministry today.
The closed-door MPGN meeting was chaired by its secretary, T. Shanmugam.
PSM and the NGOs have also raised their concerns about a significant number of Malaysian employers that have yet to comply to the current minimum wage of RM1,000 in Peninsular Malaysia and RM920 in Sabah and Sarawak.
“The government has implemented the minimum salary in the public sector. Why can’t the private sector follow suit,” asked Sivaranjani.
As of this month, 317 employers have been charged in court for failing to follow the law.
The government implemented the minimum wage policy on July 1 last year.
The ministry assured that the government would review the country’s minimum wage order at least once every two years, its deputy minister Datuk Seri Ismail Muttalib told the Dewan Rakyat recently.
He said this move was in accordance with the National Wages Consultative Council Act 2011 (Act 732), where the review would be conducted by MPGN.
Ismail added that the minimum wage order review would be implemented next year.