Adopt RM1,200 as new minimum wage: MUTC

Kota Kinabalu: The Malaysian Trades Union Congress (MTUC) is requesting the Government to adopt RM1,200 as the new standardised minimum wage nationwide by next year's minimum wage revision.According to MTUC President Mohd Khalid Atan (pic), this increase in the minimum wage level was relevant in light of the drastic increases to the cost of living in the country.

"The provision in the National Wage Council Act is that the minimum wage will be revised once every two years. So now since our current minimum wage is effective from Jan 1, 2013, that is why we have started discussion on whether there is any need to increase (by Jan 1, 2015)."

Mohd Khalid said at present, he feels the current minimum wage established is no longer relevant in the face of wide-scale inflation in the country.

"Ever since last year the cost of living has gone up drastically and I think by early this year it has gone up to the extent that the minimum wage of RM900 (peninsula) and RM800 (Sabah and Sarawak) is no longer relevant. But whatever the revised figure is, we are also asking for Sabah, Sarawak to be accorded a similar (as peninsula) minimum wage in the spirit of 1Malaysia.

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"This is in light of the rising cost of living. Everything has gone up. This includes the tariffs for electricity, sugar, etc. At the same time, the Good and Services Tax (GST) is also coming.

"That is why we are urging the Government to introduce a policy or regulation for the private sector to also be paid cost of living allowance (Cola). We are expecting the Government to come out with this policy to push employers to also agree to pay Cola to the private sector workers.

He said this is in light of the recent move by the Prime Minister to agree to pay Cola of RM300 to public sector government servants.

"We are of course happy to hear that as it will help reduce the burden of the public servants. In the same view as what the Premier mentioned, we are also asking that the private sector not be discriminated against.

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"Of course, there is no discrimination by the Prime Minister on the matter but if you look at it, the public sector is given Cola and private sector receives nothing so you can see indirectly it would seem there exists discrimination between the public and private sectors.

"We do not want that to happen. We want all the rakyat to be treated fairly, no matter whether you hail from the public or private sector. This is all we are asking," he said at the Sabah Commercial Employees Union 8th Triennial Delegates Conference, here, Saturday.

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