Malaysian union urges government to mandate minimum wage raise

The Malaysian Trades Union Congress (MTUC) has asked the government to mandate private sector employers to raise the minimum wage for workers to RM1,500 (US$357).

“The prime minister should have instructed the private sector to fix the minimum wage at RM1,500 through a minimum wage order, instead of advising companies to implement that,” said MTUC secretary-general Kamarul Baharin Mansor, reports New Straits Times. 

The time is ripe for the government to announce a new minimum wage, in line with the National Wage Consultative Council Act 2016 that requires the government to revise the minimum wage every two years, he added. 

“MTUC is grateful to the prime minister for confirming that the minimum wage for workers in Malaysia should be RM1,500 – the amount that we have demanded earlier,” he said. 

READ: Businesses in Malaysia urged to pay workers higher wages

“The prime minister’s statement that the minimum wage should be increased to tackle the rising cost of living is a realistic statement and reflects the ‘Keluarga Malaysia’ spirit,” he added. 

The minimum wage for workers in Malaysia was last raised from RM1,100 (US$262) to RM1,200 (US$285) in February 2020.