Human Resources Minister V. Sivakumar announced at the 2023 Labour Day celebration in Putrajaya that the Ministry of Human Resources (MoHR) will develop a new method to implement minimum wage in Malaysia.
Sivakumar described the current monthly minimum wage of RM1,500 as relatively low and emphasized the need for employers to match wages with employees’ skills and knowledge.
Prime Minister Datuk Seri Anwar Ibrahim stated in his speech that the minimum wage implementation issue will be discussed in the next Cabinet meeting.
The minimum wage order, effective from May 1, 2022, applies to all sectors, regardless of region, for employers with five or more employees.
Malaysian Trades Union Congress (MTUC) president Mohd Effendy Abdul Ghani called for a review of the minimum wage implementation and urged the government to monitor employers’ compliance.
Additionally, Anwar announced an allocation of RM1 million each to MTUC and Congress of Unions of Employees in Public and Civil Services (Cuepacs) to enhance their management systems.
