KUALA LUMPUR: The government is urged to redefine its classification of the high-income group to only include those earning above RM30,000 per month.
Sibu MP Oscar Ling made the proposal in response to the government's plan to remove subsidies for petrol, education and public healthcare to those in the high-income group.
Ling argued that the threshold needs to be revised upwards due to the rising cost of living and inflation.
"It would be more appropriate if those earning over RM30,000 are classified as such," Ling said when debating the Supply Bill 2025 in the Dewan Rakyat on Monday (Oct 28).
"With the high cost of education in private institutions and the rising healthcare costs, categorising those earning below RM30,000 as high-income would place an undue burden on them," he said.
He also said those whose earnings fall just below the RM30,000 mark might struggle to cope with educational and healthcare expenses should subsidies be removed.
Ling also called for a more nuanced approach to the implementation of the minimum wage for different regions of the country.
He said while the new minimum wage is RM1,700, socio-economic conditions vary widely between regions.
"Malaysia not only has diversity in terms of race and religion but also in socio-economic conditions," he said, adding economic policies should be tailored to ensure they benefit all Malaysians equitably.
"In many parts of Sarawak, there are few economic activities. Enforcing the minimum wage in these areas may lead to higher unemployment as businesses might reduce their workforce to cut costs," Ling said.
He suggested that the government adopt a tiered approach, with different rates for urban, suburban and rural areas to reflect the unique economic realities of each region.
