No employer charged over minimum wage ruling

NO employer has been charged with failing to abide by the new ruling after the RM1,500 minimum wage scheme was implemented on May 1, says Human Resources Minister Datuk Seri M. Saravanan.

He said this was because the salaries for May were only received by most workers in early June.

“Up to June 30, no employer has been charged for failing to abide by the Minimum Wage Order 2022.

“Statistics on errant employers who did not abide by the Minimum Wage Order 2022 could not be prepared following its enforcement on May 1 and compliance can only be ascertained through periodic checks,” he told the Dewan Rakyat yesterday.

Under Section 43 of the National Wages Consultative Council Act 2011, employers who fail to remunerate in accordance with the minimum wage are liable to a fine up to RM10,000 for each employee.

Saravanan said the Peninsular Malaysia Labour Department (JTKSM) had conducted periodic and surprise checks on employers to ensure that no worker was left out from the latest minimum wage.

He said that up to June 30, checks were done on 20,452 employers and 3,049 workplaces, adding: “The JTKSM will conduct investigations if there are complaints from workers.”

Saravanan also said that for June, the JTKSM received 157 complaints on the implementation of the minimum wage order and investigations found that 118 employers did not comply with it.

“Employers were advised to abide by the order or legal action will be taken,” he added.

He was responding to Datuk Seri Dr Mujahid Yusof (PH-Parit Buntar), who asked how many employers had not complied with the latest minimum wage order.

Saravanan said the postponement of the RM1,500 monthly minimum wage only applied to employers with fewer than five workers.