Raise minimum wage to RM1,500, says MTUC

KUALA LUMPUR: The Malaysian Trades Union Congress (MTUC) has called for the minimum wage to be raised.

It is asking for it to be increased to RM1,500 from RM1,000 per month or RM4.81 per hour for Peninsular Malaysia and RM920 per month or RM4.42 per hour for Sabah, Sarawak and Labuan.

Its secretary general, J. Solomon, said all employers should pay a cost of living allowance (Cola) of RM300 for the Bottom 40 (B40) and those in the Middle 40 (M40) groups.

“Increasing minimum wage and Cola will assist these groups in facing the rising cost of living.”

He urged the government to draw up the guidelines to ensure employers would not replace local workers with foreign workers, and to deploy foreign workers to fill up vacancies allowed in selected industries.

Cases that had not seen the light of settlement at the Industrial Relations Departments, he said, must be referred to the Industrial Court.

“The current practice of the Human Resources Ministry in determining the reference is an injustice to workers and workers unions, resulting in unnecessary utilisation of workers and union funds for judicial review.”

He said the Human Resource Development Fund should be extended to all sectors and shall spell out provisions for training for all levels of workers, and not limited only to executives and top-management levels.

“The Education Act should introduce basic Labour Laws and Rights in the school curriculum so that students will understand the value of work when they enter the workforce.

“The Employees Provident Fund (EPF) Act must be amended to ensure that workers’ monies in the EPF are not invested in entities that exploit workers and indulge in union-busting,” he said, adding that EPF must declare a higher dividend payout for last year.

Increasing minimum wage and Cola will assist these groups in facing the rising cost of living.