PUTRAJAYA, April 14 — Several employment sectors, including the informal sector, will be given flexibility when the implementation of the RM1,500 minimum wage rate comes into effect on May 1, said Human Resources Minister, Datuk Seri M. Saravanan.
Among them are those earning income by doing odd jobs, companies employing less than five workers and those that are facing huge losses like the hospitality and tourism sectors, he said.
Saravanan said by emphasising similar flexibility given when the minimum wage order was implemented in 2012, the government would also give a period of one year of flexibility for any party in need and it could be extended according to the minister’s purview.
“Odd-job workers are still earning RM500 to RM600 salary. If I force companies to pay them RM1,500 they will soon be out of a job,” he said to reporters at the launch of the Microcredential HRD Corp initiative here yesterday.
On March 19, Prime Minister, Datuk Seri Ismail Sabri Yaakob, announced that Malaysia will implement the RM1,500 minimum wage starting May 1 nationwide.
According to Saravanan, the implementation of the minimum wage rate is in line with the National Wage Consultative Council Act 2011 (Act 732), which needs to be reviewed once every two years.
“If not now, when? The Act (Act 732) stipulates that it needs to be reviewed once every two years. If I don’t do it, people will criticise me, that I violate the Act,” he said.
— Bernama
