PKA urged to ensure companies comply with minimum wage policy

The Port Klang Authority (PKA) has been urged to strictly monitor companies operating in the port area to ensure they adhere to the minimum wage policy which came into force early this year. Union of Employees of Port Ancillary Services (Unipass) secretary A. Balasubramaniam said it had received complaints alleging that some port contractors had not paid the minimum wage of RM900 in Peninsula Malaysia to their employees. PKA should not allow its contractors to do business there, should they fail to comply with the minimum wage regulation, he told Bernama. Balasubramaniam, who is also Malaysian Trades Union Congress (MTUC) vice-president, urged PKA to form a task force to look into the minimum wage implementation and other issues affecting port workers. The proposed body, he said, should have representatives from PKA terminal port operators, labour department and the workers themselves. Balasubramaniam said PKA, as the licensing body, had so far issued more than 200 licences to contractors to run ancillary, labour supply, forklift and tallying businesses at the port. The minimum wage scheme, which came into effect from Jan 1, makes it mandatory for employers who hire six workers and more to pay a minimum wage of RM900 in Peninsula Malaysia, and RM800 in Sabah and Sarawak.