MTUC drubs minister over RM1,110 min wage 'too high for some' remark

The Penang division of the Malaysian Trades Union Congress (MTUC) says it is shocked with Human Resources Minister M Kulasegaran's alleged remark that the current RM1,100 minimum wage is too high for some sectors.

Free Malaysia Today (FMT) reported Kulasegaran as saying such after meeting the Sabah chapter of the Malaysian Employers Federation (MEF) yesterday.

According to most media reports, the minister had said that there were many complaints from employers in Sabah that the increase in minimum wage from RM920 to RM1,100 last month was too sharp a hike.

As such, he said the government would look at formulating a minimum wage structure that was "more realistic" according to different industries.

However, Penang MTUC secretary K Veeriah reminded Kulasegaran of Pakatan Harapan's pledge to bring the minimum wage up to RM1,500.

"We wish to remind him, lest he has a case of memory loss, of Harapan's commitment to enhancing the minimum wage to RM1,500 over the period of its term of office," Veeriah said in a statement last night.

"We wish to tell the minister to look at the indisputable fact that Malaysian workers do not earn a living wage.

"On this score, we make reference to Bank Negara's report that the working people of the nation ought to be paid a living wage as compared to a minimum wage," he added.