Still much ado about implementation of new minimum wage

KUCHING: Malaysian Trades Union Congress (MTUC) Sarawak is not aware of the said deferment in implementing the revised minimum wage of RM1,200 in selected cities and municipalities across Malaysia, which supposedly took effect on Jan 1 this year.

MTUC Sarawak secretary Andrew Lo, when contacted by The Borneo Post yesterday, remarked: “Sorry — not today. (We’re) unable to get confirmation.”

Attempts to obtain confirmation from Human Resources Minister M Kulasegaran and Labour Department Sarawak director Awang Raduan Awang Omar were not successful as at press time.

Based on a recent news report by The Star Online, which quoted Sin Chew Daily, the SME Association of Malaysia had said that the new RM1,200 minimum wage would not be implemented as planned.

Association president Datuk Michael Kang was quoted as saying that during a closed-door meeting with the ministry on Dec 24, they were told that the proposed law had yet to be gazetted.

Moreover, Kang reportedly said the policy would likely be postponed ‘until at least Jan 8, when the Cabinet meets again’.

On Dec 18, the Human Resources Ministry had announced the country’s minimum wage would be increased to RM1,200, effective on Jan 1 this year, covering 57 cities and municipalities – the wage level for other areas would remain at RM1,100.

In Sarawak, the new minimum wage would apply to areas within North and South Kuching, Padawan, Kota Samarahan, Sibu, Miri and Bintulu and it had since drawn strong criticism from various industries players and associations.