PUTRAJAYA: Random checks by the Human Resource Ministry on 274 employers nationwide recently found that almost 30% of them did not comply with the RM1,100 minimum wage.
Its minister, M. Kula Segaran said such finding was shocking and the checks were conducted randomly from Perlis to Tawau in Sabah.
“The checks involved 3,207 workers and 43 employers were found not complying with the minimum wage. Most of them were small food shops and textile business,“ he told reporters after the National Labour Advisory Council (NLAC) meeting at the Putrajaya International Convention Centre, here, today.
Kula Segaran said the employers were given advice and a grace period of one month. “On the second visit if the employer still do not comply with the minimum wage, action will be taken against them,” he added.
Asked on the reasons for employers not complying with the minimum wage ruling, he said some of the employees did not want to contribute to the Employees Provident Fund and Social Security Organisation.
Beginning January this year, the minimum wage was set at RM1,100 and standardised between Peninsular Malaysia and Sabah and Sarawak.
On the adoption of the International Labour Organisation’s Convention on Ending Violence and Harassment in the World of Work, Kula Segaran said the Malaysian government which was represented by the Human Resource Ministry, voted to abstain.
He said among the reasons was that the government could not be in conflict with its stakeholders, namely the Malaysian Trades Union Congress and Malaysian Employers Federation which strongly opposed it.
The ballots for the international treaty were cast during the International Labour Conference in Geneva on June 21. — Bernama
