MTUC proposes six-month extension of moratorium to B40, M40

KUALA LUMPUR: The Malaysian Trades Union Congress (MTUC) has called on the government to consider its proposals involving Budget 2021, including the automatic implementation of the loan moratorium on borrowers from the B40 and M40 income categories.

In a statement today, MTUC secretary-general Kamarul Baharin Mansor proposed an extension of the moratorium to be granted on the B40 and M40 groups for another six months.

He said the MTUC also proposes that the government fund the two per cent gap for the Employment Provident Fund (EPF) members continuously for a period of 12 months.

During the tabling of the 2021 budget, the government announced the initiative to reduce the contribution rate from 11 per cent to nine per cent starting January 2021 for a period of 12 months to increase take-home pay.

In addition, the withdrawal of the EPF savings from Account 1 should be extended automatically to the EPF contributors who opted for the i-Lestari withdrawal facility, he said.

Kamarul Baharin said, MTUC also proposes for the maintenance of the allowance rate of the Employment Insurance Scheme (EIS) at 80 per cent, from the first until the third month.

Regarding the establishment of the National Employment Council, MTUC said it was a proactive step by the government in providing employment opportunities to the people and requested to be included in the council as it involved the country’s workforce.

MTUC hopes that direct assistance to workers can be provided such as a raise in the minimum wage, the Cost of Living Allowance (COLA) and any form of subsidy to provide disposable income for workers, he said.

The government should also introduce the Emergency Employment Regulation to guarantee present employment and that the workers would continue to receive salaries and benefits, he added.

The proposal was submitted to the Ministry of Human Resources on April 14.

-- BERNAMA