Govt needs to fully implement minimum wage - Tawau Umno chief

KOTA KINABALU - Tawau Umno chief Ghazalie Ansing has urged the state government to implement the minimum wage rate as announced by the Prime Minister at all levels without excluding either permanent or part time staff.

He claimed that there were still daily workers receiving the basic salary which has not changed despite having worked for 20 years and the previous minimum wage was RM1,200.

"For example, the monthly salary of RM968 received by daily workers of an agency in the state since 2002, has never been increased until today.

"Even though the workers have a daily wage status, it is very illogical if the rate set has not changed for 20 years.

"Therefore, the government needs to find a new mechanism to help (overcome the matter)," he said in a statement on Wednesday.

The Sabah Umno communications director said as a leader, it was appropriate for him to bring up the matter for the sake of the workers involved.

"What is the government's policy until the employee's salary has never been increased for 20 years of work? Hasn't the government set the previous minimum wage at RM1,200 and it will be increased to RM1,500.

"These workers are eligible to get a raise and not be ignored as they use the money to support their family and with the increase prices of goods, how can these workers sustain their livelihood?,” he said.

"If the government previously overlooked the matter, then I as a leader need to voiced it out so that action will be taken for the welfare of workers," he said.

Meanwhile, based on a picture of a letter, an employee working for an agency in Tawau was found to have received a daily salary of RM44 since Jan 2, 2002 without any raise.

After the Employees Provident Fund (EPF) deduction of 11 per cent or RM128, the monthly salary the person received was only RM840.