Sunday 23 June 2013

400 companies get nod to pay minimum wages from Dec 31

KUALA LUMPUR: More than 400 macro companies have received the green light to postpone the implementation of minimum wages until Dec 31.

Human Resource Minister Datuk Richard Riot said the postponement was made due to various reasons, including the financial capability of the companies to implement the minimum wages, announced by Prime Minister Datuk Seri Najib Tun Razak previously.

“Overall, all the private sector agreed and did not protest against the decision of the government to implement minimum wages but they asked for flexibility due to certain reasons.

“To date, we have received 400 applications from companies seeking for the date to be pushed to Dec 31 and I have approved the applications,” he told reporters after the 2013 Workers’ Day gathering at the Bukit Jalil Stadium yesterday launched by Prime Minister Datuk Seri Najib Tun Razak.

The announcement of minimum wages for the private sector of RM900 a month for the peninsula and RM800 a month in Sabah, Sarawak and Labuan was made by the Prime Minister on April 30 last year and gazetted on July 16.

The Minimum Wage Order 2012 was enforced on Jan 1, 2013 and the rate would be studied every two years.

Meanwhile, Riot said the National Wages Consultative Council would hold a meeting with employers from micro companies to discuss the implementation of Minimum wages on July 25.

He said, to date, the ministry had yet to receive any application for the postponement of minimum wages from micro companies but employers would have an opportunity to do so at the meeting.

In his speech, Riot said 2012 witnessed the national economy managing to weather the impact of the global economic crisis.

He said the success was due to agreement and consensus to ensure the national development agenda could be continued and inherited by the coming generation.

Furthermore, he said challenging labour and industrial relation issues must be tackled as best as possible to avoid any problem to protect the industrial relations harmony and ensure economic stability. — Bernama

(Source: The Borneo Post)

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