29/04/2024
MalaysiaLabourDay
As we celebrate , we would like to draw the attention of policymakers, employers and stakeholders to the plight of Malaysians earning below the minimum standard required for a decent living.
Based on United Nation Global Compact report; Over a billion working people worldwide -1/3 of all workers - are estimated to earn less than they need to afford a decent standard of living.
Despite Malaysia implementing of RM1,500 per month, this amount remains low compared to the actual cost of living.
Based on PICODI Malaysia Report,
Malaysia placed 59th out of 67 nations in terms of minimum wages.
In 2018 Bank Negara Malaysia (BNM) introduced the concept of a , which it defined as the minimum income needed for a household to participate in society and possess the opportunity for personal and family development, as well as freedom from severe financial stress.
At the same time, it should reflect needs, not wants. It does not capture the cost of lifestyle, which is the spending to fulfil the desires for an aspirational living standards.
It estimated the living wage to be RM2,700 for single adults in the capital, RM4,500 for couples without children, and RM6,500 for couples with two children.
And based on DOSM Report as March 2023, 35% (over 2.2 mil) of formal sector employees in Malaysia earned below RM2,000 a month and below
of RM2,208.
Thus, the majority of Malaysian families have a single breadwinner who may earn more than the minimum wage. But they do not earn what has been described as the minimum living wage.
All of us need a living wage in order to live. It’s right there in the word. And no job should be without dignity. Paying less than a living wage is exploitative, keeps people in poverty, makes them dependent on handouts and charity, makes them desperate.
In a nutshell, is still far behind other countries. Although it has been proven that the minimum wage has cushioned the wage inequality in the country, employees are still not compensated fairly for the work done considering that an analysis of the wage to productivity ratio by Bank Negara shows that Malaysian workers are being paid less than workers in benchmark economies.
Labour Day is a celebration for the social and economic achievements for the workforce. These achievements include establishing the 8-hour workday, which successfully implements in several countries in the 1800s
It is also a day to remind us that we’re still fighting for living wages and safe working conditions for all people.
As we reflect on Labour Day this year, let’s honor its origins and continue and continue the fight for workers’ rights.