Infrastructure spending is a necessary economic stimulus

UNTIL we are able to achieve the developed status as defined by the World Bank, Malaysia for the time being remains a developing nation with income levels that are of course growing but at a snail’s pace, especially among the B40 group.

The introduction of the new minimum wage of RM1,100 effective this year is still insufficient to address the widening income disparity between the have and have nots as the Pakatan Harapan government tries to narrow the gap. It is hoped that this will be raised soonest so as to enable the minimum wage level to reach at least RM1,500 to RM1,600 as the low income level of the B40 group means the government would continue to provide social safety nets for the needy.