Firms in Malaysia told to pay minimum wage rate
- Claire Lee
Malaysian Prime Minister Ismail Sabri Yaakob reminded employers to adhere to the country’s new minimum wage rate, which has been set at RM1,500 (US$337) since May 1.
The Ministry of Human Resources has found that some 118 employers have breached the Minimum Wages Order 2022.
“Advice has been given to the employers to follow the Minimum Wages Order 2022. If they still do not do so, legal action will be taken against them,” said Human Resources Minister Datuk Seri M. Saravanan, according to Malay Mail.
As of June 30, the HR ministry has received 157 complaints from employees, while 20,452 checks on premises have been conducted. All employers in Malaysia, except those with fewer than five staff, are required to pay each employee at least RM1,5000 in salary. The latter will be legally required to do so from January 2023.
Prime Minister Ismail added, “The government is now actively developing a ‘talent pool’ that is skilled, productive and has high potential, but I am a little disappointed because the salaries offered by employers do not commensurate with the qualifications and work done by locals.”
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“As such, I request that employers take this matter seriously because employees are the pillars in any organisation; where they can ‘make or break’ a business,” he said.
