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BY MAZWIN NIK ANIS
PUTRAJAYA: Malaysia aims to improve policies and the implementation of minimum wage following the ratification of an International Labour Convention on the matter, said Human Resource Minister Datuk Seri Richard Riot.
He said the ratification of Convention No 131: Minimum Wage Fixing Convention was in line with Malaysia’s aim to emerge as a high income nation by 2020 and to allow the government further improve the country’s labour standards, particularly on minimum wage.
“This is also to reflect Malaysia’s commitment to improve policies that will enhance social protection to ensure the wellbeing and welfare of workers are protected.
“I urge employers to support the minimum wage policy which is aimed at improving the living standards of our human resource, particularly workers in the low income bracket,” he said in a statement.
Riot, who is in Geneva to attend the International Labour Convention, handed over the instrument of ratification to International Labour Organisation director Guy Ryder.
The Convention is an international instrument that serves as a guideline in determining minimum wage by a country which ratifies it. Malaysia is a member of the ILO and has ratified 16 Conventions.
Malaysia is the first among Asean members to ratify Convention 131.
The government had introduced the minimum wage policy in 2013 and come July 1, the monthly minimum wage will increase from RM900 to RM1,000 for peninsular Malaysia and from RM800 to RM920 for Sabah, Sarawak and Labuan.
Riot said the National Wages Council had discussed this matter at length and consultations were made with the ILO before the government decided to ratify the Convention.
“My ministry will have a session with stakeholders to inform them on this latest move. We also want to remind them on the need for employers to adhere to all rules and regulations on minimum wage,” he added.
Source: The Star Online
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