The Malaysian Trades Unions Congress is working towards achieving a minimum wage law for Malaysian workers by the end of the year.

Its secretary-general, G. Rajasekaran, told malaysiakini today that MTUC has been fighting for the establishment of a minimum wage law for 50 years, and a 10-member committee has been set up recently to come up with recommendations to be submitted to the government soon.

"The committee will revise the proposal we made in 1996, in which we recommended the minimum wage to be set at RM600. Now, we have to review the proposal taking into account the workers' basic needs of the day with the current cost of living," he said.

According to Rajasekaran, the committee formed during the National Symposium of MTUC General Council held in Petaling Jaya last month, consists of several council members and representatives from the union's various sectoral groups.

"It will meet and make its recommendations before the MTUC's General Council in a month's time," he added.

The News Straits Times today reported that the government could not immediately set the immediate wage at RM1,200 as all workers, including executives would then have to be paid more. Instead, Prime Minister Mahathir Mohamad urged workers to increase productivity and not to have a test of strength with employers as a way to better wages.

"It (the commitee) will also set a time frame to achieve our objective of establishing the minimum wage law. We will call for a nationwide picket as a last resort if the establishment of a minimum wage is rejected," Rajasekaran said.

The idea to hold a picket was endorsed by everyone who was present at the union'Workers Day rally at the PJ Civic Centre in Petaling Jaya yesterday, he added.

MTUC was established in 1949 and represents about 500,000 workers in Malaysia. It primary objectives are to improve the economic and social conditions of workers and to ensure that policies which are conducive to the welfare of the workers such are implemented.

Meanwhile, Suaram director, Dr. Kua Kia Soong in his Labour Day statement stressed the time is ripe to put labour reforms on the national agenda since Malaysia has emerged from the economic crisis and there are signs of renewed economic growth.

Among the reforms he suggested are monthly wages for plantation workers, a living minimum wage for all workers as demanded by the unions, equality for women workers, rights for migrant workers and the need to narrow the income gaps between different sectors and hierarchies of the various occupational categories.

In a similar vein, Dr. Nasir Hashim, the chairman of the Malaysian Socialist Party, urged the workers to continue the struggle to fight for their rights without needing directions from any party.

He also congratulated the workers who fought against the injustices of the capitalist system, especially those against the World Trade Organisation, World Bank and Interenational Monetary Fund.

Meanwhile, Teresa Kok, the DAP MP for Seputeh expressed her regret at the government's contined denial of minimum wages for workers.

According to her, the Prime Minister's statement proves the Barisan Nasional government was merely paying lip-service to the Malaysian workers.