A TOTAL of 2,852 employers have applied to participate in the Progressive Wage Policy (PWP), introduced to reform the labour market and raise workers’ incomes in line with productivity growth, said Deputy Economy Minister Datuk Hanifah Hajar Taib.
She said that as of Oct 21, a total of 1,966 employers had implemented wage increases in line with the prescribed guidelines, benefiting 20,737 workers.
“About 79.5% of the employers who registered and implemented wage increases were micro, small and medium-sized enterprises (MSMEs), covering 47.1% of the total workforce.
“The government will determine the PWP extension and total incentives provided based on the country’s fiscal position,” she said.
Hanifah was responding to a question posed by Mohd Syahir Che Sulaiman (PN-Bachok), who requested the latest evaluation of the PWP, particularly regarding its effects on MSMEs and any potential additional fiscal incentives intended to encourage private sector participation.
According to Hanifah, the implementation of the PWP has provided opportunities to enhance knowledge, particularly in technological fields, even though many companies are grappling with financial constraints that hinder their ability to develop the skills of their workforce.
“By improving expertise, the opportunities to broaden and diversify service offerings will be significantly expanded.
“We hope that by advancing technology, understanding and knowledge, the capacity for workforce absorption across all industries can be strengthened,” she added.
