Malaysia's minimum wage: A bargaining hurdle

Worker power: A cashier at a supermarket in Kuching. Minimum wage will uplift the lowest-paid workers but the state of unions can hinder wage growth for the majority, says the writer. – Bernama

MALAYSIA’S minimum wage would be raised from RM1,500 a month to RM1,700 on Feb 1, 2025, Prime Minister and Finance Minister Datuk Seri Anwar Ibrahim had announced while presenting the 2025 federal government budget last October.

While the insertion of this minimum wage revision into the budget speech, the pinnacle of parliamentary proceedings, reflects the political importance of addressing low wages and slow wage growth, most workers still lack the power to negotiate salaries.