Malaysia allocates RM10 million to strengthen trade union movements

The Malaysian government has increased funding for the Trade Union Affairs Programme (PHEKS) to RM10 million (US$2.22 million) in 2025, signalling a renewed focus on empowering trade unions through skills training and technology adoption.

Human Resources Minister Steven Sim announced the enhance allocation during a press conference following his visit to the Federation of Trade Unions of Independent Statutory Bodies with Segregated Renumeration.

Sim expressed optimism that the additional funding, supported by the collaborative efforts of the Human Resources Ministry and trade union leadership, would encourage more employees to join unions. “The benefit of union membership lies in providing a robust platform for employees to negotiate for better welfare at their workplaces,” Sim said.

As part of the expanded PHEKS initiative, the allocation for the Training and Education Programme cluster has been increased to RM30,000 (US$6,672) this year, following a strong demand in 2024.

“The main goal of this cluster is to enhance knowledge about the benefits of union membership and to train union members to become future leaders, in line with empowering employees and trade unions,” he explained.

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Administered by the Department of Trade Union Affairs, PHEKS supports trade unions through training and education programmes, research on trade union movements, academic publications, and the digitisation of union management records. In previous years, the programme received RM2.6 million (US$578,283) in 2023 and RM5.8 million (US$1.3 million) in 2022, highlighting a significant rise in government commitment to its objectives.

In addition to the funding announcement, Sim revealed plans to establish task forces to review overlapping and outdated legislation under the Human Resources Ministry’s jurisdiction.

“These task forces will include representatives from unions, employers, and academia, ensuring a collaborative approach to modernising labour laws,” he said. The reviews are set to take place throughout the year, with announcements on progress to be made periodically, reported New Straits Times.