Minimum wage portal to help employer, workers understand

Human Resources Minister Datuk Seri Richard Riot launched the Minimum Wages Portal, Tuesday, to enable the public, specifically employers and private sector workers, to understand the method of implementing minimum wages, for full implementation on Jan 1.

He said the portal, which was developed with the cooperation of the Performance Management and Delivery Unit (Pemandu) and National Wage Consultative Council (MPGN) would channel information and rationale on the policy of the National Minimum Wage more accurately and comprehensively.

He was confident the portal would be able to give the latest information on the result of a study of the impact of the implementation of minimum wages on the labour market, employment of foreign labour and national transformation towards a high income, developed nation.

"The portal can be surfed by employers and workers so they are more informed on the implementation of minimum wages to be implemented next year," he told reporters after opening the portal, Tuesday.

Riot said the portal, a result of the decision of the Minimum Wages Pre-Lab Session in May, was consumer-friendly and had three segments encompassing employer space, workers and the latest news, including publication on minimum wages.

He said the portal was also interactive and infographics in nature, showing information such as rate of calculating minimum wages, the rationale of minimum wages policy and the target groups who qualified for minimum wages.

He said several series of clinics on minimum wages with industrial activists would be held nationwide in a month to announce existing incentives and share information with the related agencies.

In the same development, Riot said the implementation of minimum wages which applied fully to local and foreign workers was logical because it would impact positively on the economy and boost the income of workers at poverty level.

"Minimum wages have already been implemented in over 160 countries and they have not failed.

"We hope and believe that by implementing the minimum wages (in Malaysia), it will help our country to achieve high income economy and developed status by the year 2020," he said.

The public could surf the portal at minimumwages.mohr.gov.my.