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PETALING JAYA, July 11 — Despite many employers complaining that they are ill-prepared for the new minimum wage implemented on July 1, other bosses in some sectors find the rates acceptable.
Federation of Malaysia Hawkers Association executive adviser Datuk Lee Teong Chwee said the new minimum wage was fair.
“Many of our members have been paying RM1,000 and above to engage our workers. With today’s inflation rate, I think it is fair,” he said.
“We should pay them well to get them to do good work.”
The federation has 100,000 members nationwide.
Lee said workers were usually paid on a daily basis — RM50 in urban areas and between RM30 and RM40 in rural areas.
Malayan Agricultural Producers Association director Datuk Dr Mohd Noor Ismail said the association found no issues implementing the minimum wage.
“For example, our oil palm harvesters can earn more than RM1,000 per month as they are being paid based on their productivity,” he said.
Cameron Highlands Vegetable Growers Association secretary Chay Ee Mong said its members were in a spot as they cannot pass the burden to consumers.
“Our running cost has gone up but we cannot increase the prices of our commodities. Prices are determined by wholesalers as well as supply and demand,” Chay, who is also the secretary-general of the Federation of Malaysian Vegetable Growers Association, said.
“Those working in bigger farms will bear higher costs because on average, a farm employs two workers for every acre.
“How are we going to survive? If it is up to the farmers, we will increase prices as we sometimes suffer losses. But it is not up to us.”
The federation has 6,000 members nationwide.
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