‘Wage top-up’ proposed for Malaysians earning below RM2,500

SHAH ALAM: The Government should introduce a “wage top-up” scheme to help Malaysians, who earn below RM2,500, double their pay by 2020, said Gerakan president Datuk Mah Siew Keong.

He said the cost of increment should be shared by the Govern­ment and employer.

The idea was to help ease the burden of Malaysians, he said.

“However, the employee must be committed to staying with the company and showing a definite increase in productivity through a KPI assessment,” he said.

This was one way to reach the target of the 11th Malaysia Plan to double the income of those in the bottom 40% of households (B40), he said in his speech.

Mah said Gerakan was of the view that Bantuan Rakyat 1Malay­­sia (BR1M) was a right move and that the payout should be higher.

(The payout under BR1M 2015 ranged between RM350 and RM950).

There should also be higher tax credits for middle-income families, especially those with children, he said.

“We have proposed for a Goods and Services Tax (GST) deduction for all households earning less than RM5,000 per month.

“These measures will bring some relief to middle-income families while BR1M provides much needed cash for the lower income group,” he said.

Other topics raised by Mah inclu­ded 1Malaysia Development Bhd (1MDB), saying that Gerakan was of the view the matter should be investigated thoroughly and fast.

“Our feedback showed that although 1MDB has issued many statements to clarify and counter various allegations, many people are still not receptive,” he said.

He also said the people were worried about the economy.

“We should not politicise it,” he added.