Syed Saddiq gets tongue lashing from Saravanan over minimum wage issue

KUALA LUMPUR: Datuk Seri M. Saravanan gave Syed Saddiq Syed Abdul Rahman a tongue lashing for alleging that the minister had misled Parliament over the minimum wage issue.

The outburst by the Human Resources Minister against the Muar MP came after the latter submitted a letter to Dewan Rakyat Speaker Tan Sri Azhar Azizan Harun on Tuesday (March 15) to refer Saravanan to Parliament's Rights and Privileges Committee over his alleged contradictory statement on the date of the implementation of minimum wages.

"I have been an MP in this House for over 20 years and haven't come across an MP like Syed Saddiq.

"He is a rare species and is extraordinary," a visibly upset Saravanan said at a press conference in Dewan Rakyat on Tuesday (March 15).

Saravanan said he was forced to clarify the issue, as Syed Saddiq's letter to Azhar has since gone viral on social media.

"I consider the letter a malicious accusation against me, a poison pen letter" he said, adding that it was just a ploy by the Muda MP to gain cheap publicity among his young supporters.

He said he will not ask Syed Saddiq to apologise, as he will do so if he is a mature politician.

"I am not asking for an apology as he owes the rakyat an apology for misleading them," Saravanan added.

In the letter to Azhar, Syed sought to refer Saravanan to the committee, alleging that the minister had misled the House over the implementation of the minimum wage.

Syed Saddiq claimed that Saravanan announced last month that minimum wages would be implemented by the end of this year.

However, Syed Saddiq claimed that Saravanan misled the House in his ministerial reply in Dewan Rakyat on Monday (March 14), saying that it would not be done at the year's end.

"The Muar MP wasn't even in the House on Monday when I responded to the questions on minimum wage.

"I clearly said and repeated several times in my answer that it would be implemented in due time (masa yang terdekat)," he said.

He added that the government is committed to implement the minimum wage by the end of this year, with exceptions to certain sectors.

On Monday, in his ministerial reply, Saravanan informed the House that the government is still considering minimum wage exemptions for certain sectors before a final decision is made over the implementation.

There have been calls for minimum wage to be set at RM1,500.