Outcome of minimum wage review by August: Kula (Updated)

PUTRAJAYA: The government plans to announce the outcome of minimum wage review in two months.
Human Resources Minister M Kulasegaran said the review is being conducted and if the government finds it acceptable, it will be announced before August.
Stressing that he is confident of Pakatan Harapan fulfilling its pledge of RM1,500 minimum wage, Kulasegaran said the government has to be cautious in implementing it to ensure that it does not have a negative impact on businesses.
"We have put the upper limit at RM1,500 in our manifesto. We will definitely achieve that figure, but that quantum of increase for now, it is being discussed by all parties," he said in a press conference after addressing his ministry staff at its monthly assembly today.
"As I said on June 13, the stakeholders – the unions the employers and others, and government, we will call all of them."
Kulasegaran said the National Wages Technical Consultative Committee had completed the review process of the Minimum Wage Review Order 2016.
It is ready to present the new minimum wage rate to the National Wages Consultative Council, a tripartate body which plays a role to discuss and recommend the minimum wage rate to the ministry.
"Following this my ministry will prepare a memorandum for the ministers and government to make a decision," he said.
Kulasegaran said the quantum of adjustment must take into account many factors such as productivity, sustainability of the new rate, it has to also be a win-win for all - employers, government and the unions in this country.
Pakatan Harapan in its manifesto has pledged to standardise and increase monthly minimum wages to RM1,500 by the first term and review it every two years.
Currently the minimum wage rate is RM1,000 for Peninsular Malaysia and RM920 for Sabah, Sarawak and Labuan.