KLUANG: Any decision on a possible increase in the minimum wage to RM2,000 should be left to Prime Minister Datuk Seri Anwar Ibrahim’s announcement when tabling Budget 2027, says Economy Minister Akmal Nasrullah Mohd Nasir.
He said the impact of any adjustment, particularly on micro, small and medium enterprises (MSMEs), would also need to be taken into consideration to ensure employers could sustain higher operating costs.
"We are taking into account several segments and how implementation can be balanced so that we can continue to look after our workers while ensuring the sustainability of employers, particularly small businesses and MSMEs,” he told reporters after visiting the Kluang District Police Headquarters (IPD) quarters here on Monday (Sept 28).
Akmal Nasrullah said this when asked to comment on economists’ views that raising the minimum wage to RM2,000 could lead to higher prices for goods and services.
He said the government was taking into account the different segments of employers in considering any adjustment to the minimum wage.
He also said that the Federal Government had allocated RM127mil under Rolling Plan 1 (RP1) of the 13th Malaysia Plan (13MP) for the repair and maintenance of police quarters and stations nationwide.
Akmal Nasrullah said the allocation included an additional RM5mil through a Notice of Change (NOC), bringing the total allocation to RM127mil from the original RM122mil.
Of the total, RM44.35mil was allocated for the repair and maintenance of police stations, while RM77.65mil was for the repair and maintenance of 3,716 quarters nationwide.
For Kluang, he said RM3.7mil had been allocated, including for upgrading 10 blocks of quarters and repair works at police premises under the administration of the Kluang District Police Headquarters (IPD).
"This approach ensures development allocations are targeted at actual needs and have an impact on public service delivery,” he said. - Bernama
