Gerakan: High investment but poor salaries in Penang

GEORGE TOWN: Penang’s average monthly household income is lower than the national minimum average despite the fact that the state’s manufacturing investments was the second highest in the nation – and Gerakan wants the state to look into the matter.

Penang Gerakan treasurer Ng Fook On pointed out that last year’s reported average monthly household income in Kuala Lumpur and Selangor was RM11,692 and RM9,699 respectively.

“The average household in Kuala Lumpur and Selangor earns RM4,921 and RM2,928 more than Penang households,” he said, adding that the figure for Penang was RM6,771.

He said the average income in Johor and Melaka (RM6,928 and RM6,849 respectively) was also more than Penang’s.

“Even though Penang is ranked second for investments into the manufacturing sector, why is the income of Penangites so low?

“Manufacturers are investing massively but our people are not benefiting from it.

“What is the problem with the state government?” Ng asked in a statement yesterday.

Ng criticised Chief Minister Lim Guan Eng for “proudly saying” recently that the RM9.9bil total investment value in the state this year exceeded last year’s sum of RM4.3bil.

“Why did he not announce that the average monthly household income of Penangites in 2016 was only RM6,771 while the national average is RM6,985?

“We wish to remind Lim that Malaysia’s economic growth rate has reached 6.2% – much higher than the expected rate of 5.7%.

“The investment growth in the state came from the overall national growth,” he added.

He said drastic increases in the state government’s spending coupled with the high cost of various infrastructure projects was causing the people’s welfare to be sacrificed.