Culture & Entertainment · Malaysia Bureau
Malaysian union pushes for RM3,100 minimum wage, expanded coverage
Malaysia's largest trade union federation is calling for a significant increase in the statutory minimum wage and expansion of the scheme to include middle-income workers. The move aims to ensure wage progression better reflects workers' qualifications and experience.
LSN Malaysia ·
The Malaysian Trades Union Congress (MTUC) has renewed calls for the minimum wage to be raised to RM3,100, representing a substantial increase from current levels. The proposal forms part of a broader push to strengthen wage protections across Malaysia's workforce.
Beyond the wage increase itself, the MTUC is advocating for a fundamental restructuring of how minimum wage policies operate in the country. The union argues that the current framework should be expanded to encompass middle-income workers, not just those at the lower end of the pay scale.
According to the MTUC's position, this expanded approach would create a more coherent wage structure that properly accounts for worker progression. Under such a system, salary increases would more directly correspond to factors such as educational qualifications, professional skills, and accumulated work experience.
The union's proposal reflects ongoing concerns about wage adequacy in Malaysia's labour market. As cost of living pressures continue to affect workers across income levels, the MTUC contends that current wage arrangements fail to provide sufficient progression incentives or recognition of worker development.