We refer to the Malaysiakini report No minimum wage as yet.

‘Malaysia is not ready for minimum wage yet.’

This is the consistent statement from the human resource ministers of Malaysia. The newly appointed minister and his deputy are no different.

On Wednesday, Deputy Human Resource Minister Noraini Othman parroted the same excuse as did the previous human resource minister, Dr Fong Chan On when asked why minimum wage could be implemented here in Malaysia.

Answering questions during a Parliament session, Noraini told the Dewan Rakyat that a minimum wage policy was still not a feasible idea for the country and the government had set up a ‘wage committee’ as an alternative.

What the deputy minister forgot to mention was that the wage committee was set up to guide the respective industries in their salary schemes. Such a committee can only propose a minimum wage for workers of a particular sector but cannot enforce it.

Furthermore, not all sectors are covered by this wage committee particularly sectors that employ janitors, factory workers, plantation workers and workers for other lowly-paid jobs.

It looks like the deputy minister is trying hard to mislead parliamentarians. However, simple rational thinking would easily bring anyone to the conclusion that minimum wage would benefit the majority of Malaysia’s working class and it is important.

The point is that under current circumstances, with the increasing cost of living, workers in Malaysia need a minimum wage scale in order to lead a decent life and not be pushed into poverty. Minimum wage would provide them with sufficient purchasing power to enable these workers to have a basic standard of living.

However, the government’s next argument will be that since the world is facing an economic crisis, it is not possible to implement a minimum wage act right now. This is but another opportunistic argument to deny the rights of the workers.

When the economy was booming and the workers demanded for a Minimum Wage Act, the same government said ‘The economy is booming and investors are investing so if we introduce a Minimum Wage Act, investors will leave the country and invest in other countries like Vietnam and China where labour cost is cheaper’.

So another convenient excuse to suit the time.

What the government and employers fail to understand is that a justified minimum wage will motivate workers, enhance productivity, reduce dependencies on welfare and enable workers to enjoy the benefits of the nation’s economic growth.

Thailand, Indonesia, China, Japan, South Korea, Sri Lanka, India, Venezuela and First World countries have all enacted a Minimum Wage Act to protect their lower-income groups and to ensure the majority of their workers have a decent living wage.

After all, a minimum wage act is enacted to give a living wage because current wages are not enough to live on.

Thus, the Coalition for the Oppressed People (Jerit) demands that the Malaysian government stop giving excuses and deceiving the people.

Enact a Minimum Wage Act immediately to safeguard the interests of the working class who make up the foundation of Malaysia's progress and economic growth.

The writer is coordinator (Coalition of Factory Workers and Trade Unions), Jerit.