Cabinet to decide on minimum wage review

THE results of a review of minimum wages affecting some two million workers will be tabled in the Cabinet soon.

Deputy Human Resources Minis­ter Datuk Seri Ismail Abd Muttalib said this was the first time that a review was being carried out since the minimum wage policy was im­­plemented in 2013.

"The review takes into consideration the cost of living.

"We will submit the findings soon for a final decision," he said to a question by Datuk Abdul Rahman Mohamad (BN-Lipis).

He said this was in line with the National Wages Consultative Coun­cil Act, which requires the minimum wage order is reviewed at least once every two years.

As of April this year, he said 53,133 employers were checked to determine if they were in compliance with the minimum wage rule.

“Most of them are already doing it,” he added.

Ismail said also said that minimum wage was not the main criteria towards becoming a high-income nation.

Factors such as productivity, high-value jobs and skilled workers were also crucial in pushing the nation towards this goal, he added.

The minimum wage policy sets the base monthly pay for peninsular Malaysia at RM900 and RM800 for Sabah and Sarawak, and covers Malaysian and foreign workers except for domestic helpers and gardeners.

Full implementation of the policy began in January 2014.