KUALA LUMPUR, July 13 — The Malaysian Trades Union Congress (MTUC) hopes that the government’s decision to review the progressive wage policy will be implemented to ensure the welfare of the people in the future.

Its secretary-general Kamarul Baharin Mansor said the widening gap between wage growth and the cost of living is currently perceived as burdensome, so the implementation of the policy can have a positive impact, especially for lower rank workers.

“The MTUC commends the Minister of Economy (Rafizi Ramli) for proposing the progressive wage system for workers. Rafizi’s determination to help workers survive in the present and in the future is a manifestation of the Madani government.

“The government must think of an extraordinary approach to help most of the people in this country,” he said in a statement today.

He said the government must also play a role in the annual salary increase as some companies prevent salary increases out of stubbornness and greed.

He said that market forces cannot determine the price of labour because workers have responsibilities towards their families and society. Moreover, workers are not machines or commodities to be traded.

“The minimum wage policy that has been in place since 2013 does not require employers to give workers annual increases,” he said.

“The effect of not having an annual pay increase has resulted in workers’ wages being static and unchanged, that some who have worked for more than 25 years still receive a wage of RM1,500.

“This situation is very depressing for workers who are putting in a lot of effort, but are only paid a pittance,” he said.

Earlier, the Economy Ministry in a statement said it is working with the Human Resources Ministry to prepare policy options to be presented to the National Economic Action Council (MTEN), which will discuss the best strategy to increase people’s wages.

Its minister, Rafizi Ramli, said that for this purpose, engagement sessions will be held with key stakeholders, namely the government, employers and workers, to get the views of all parties. — Bernama