KUALA LUMPUR: An impact assessment of the Progressive Wage Policy pilot project will be conducted in September to evaluate the policy's readiness before a final decision is made on its implementation, the Dewan Rakyat was told today.
Deputy Economy Minister Datuk Hanifah Hajar Taib said the Progressive Wage Policy will start on a pilot basis in June.
She outlined the formation of four working committees for this purpose, namely the Progressive Wage Policy Task Force, System Development Committee, Skills and Productivity Enhancement Committee, and Annual Salary Increments Guidelines Task Force.
"The main purpose of the Progressive Wage Policy is to systematically raise the wages of private sector workers to enable the country's economy to progress to a higher value chain," she said in reply to a question from Datuk Andi Muhammad Suryady Bandy (BN-Kalabakan).
The Progressive Wage Policy White Paper was presented to Parliament on Nov 30 last year, among others, as one of the government's strategies to increase the median wage of workers, thereby increasing the share of compensation within the remaining period of the 12th Malaysia Plan and the next 10 years.
A total of RM50 million has been allocated for the rollout of the Progressive Wage Policy pilot project, including incentive payments to companies participating in the Progressive Salary Policy.