KUALA LUMPUR: A white paper on the progressive wage policy will be tabled in Parliament on Nov 30, says the Economy Minister.
Rafizi Ramli (pic) said the plan would detail the basic features and mechanism for implementing the policy.
He said this is because there was no room to elaborate on the policy during the tabling of Budget 2024, on Oct 13.
“Many questions have been raised on why progressive wages were not part of the Budget 2024,” he said during the minister’s reply on Budget 2024 in the Dewan Rakyat on Monday (Oct 30).
“The allocation for the pilot run of progressive wages for private sector employees and companies was incorporated under the Economy Ministry in the Budget 2024,” he said.
“The government is cognisant that implementing progressive wages is a bold move. It will have a major impact on the economy and the people. For the first time, the government will directly intervene to increase the salaries of the private sector.
“Therefore, it was decided that the decision made will include all stakeholders and will include a ‘whole of nation’ approach,” he added.
He said it would be better for a White Paper to be tabled as it allows lawmakers and the people to evaluate the approach that would be taken, the timeframe for implementation and the structural issues that would need to be addressed.
“To continue with the momentum of the government’s focus on the issue of wages, the pilot run of progressive wages will be implemented in 2024 to evaluate the efficacy of the policy,” he said.
Prime Minister Datuk Seri Anwar Ibrahim said in August that the progressive wage policy will be voluntary in nature.
He said the policy is an initiative to reform Malaysia’s labour market to ensure workers will not be burdened with the cost of living and will benefit from employment that comes with decent wages.
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