Findings of minimum wage study to be presented this Thursday - Saravanan

Human Resources Minister, Datuk Seri M. Saravanan, said that the committee would also make recommendations on the rate and coverage of the minimum wage to MPGN.

He said that JTPGN held public consultations and engagement sessions, involving representatives of employers, employers' organisations, employee representatives, trade unions and the public, to obtain input on the impact of the implementation of the minimum wage on the country's socio-economy.

"MPGN always uses a balanced approach by taking into account the interests of employers, employees and the government before submitting recommendations for consideration and approval by the government," he said when winding up the debate on the Supply Bill 2022 at the policy level, in the Dewan Rakyat today.

He said that the wage rate increase framework was not presented in the tabling of the 2022 Budget because the Ministry of Human Resources, through MPGN, was still in the final stages of preparing the PGM 2020 review report.

According to the National Wages Consultative Council Act 2011 (Act 732), PGM must be reviewed at least once every two years. While PGM 2020 is effective on Feb 1, 2020, then the review must be implemented within two years from the date of the order.

In another development, Saravanan said that the Pandemic Management Special Committee meeting on Oct 22 approved the standard operating procedures (SOPs) for the entry of foreign workers into Malaysia for all sectors.

He said that the SOPs took into account the SOPs presented by the Ministry of Health on the health requirements for the entry of foreign workers into the country, and additional SOPs from the Ministry of Human Resources covering aspects of pre-departure; during arrival, post-arrival (quarantine period) and post-quarantine procedures.

On the issue of foreign domestic helpers, Saravanan said that the ministry was still in the negotiation stage with Indonesia to finalise a Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) on the recruitment of Indonesian domestic helpers (PDI) which expired on May 30, 2016.

He said that the government was ready to reopen the entry of foreign workers for all sectors, despite the delay in the entry process in relation to the employment and repatriation agreements for formal sector workers of the Nepalese government, following the implementation of the Movement Control Order (MCO).