Parti Sosialis Malaysia (PSM) today urged the government to take action against companies that do not pay the new compulsory minimum wage which will come into effect on July 1.

PSM workers’ bureau coordinator M Sivaranjani said some employers might ask for more time, or would pretend not to know about the ruling.

Therefore, she urged the Human Resources Ministry to ensure the implementation of the new minimum wage of RM1,000 in the Peninsular and RM920 in Sabah and Sarawak on July 1.

The ministry, she added, should also increase monitoring efforts throughout the country, so that workers could lodge complaints if their employers go against the minimum wage rule.

“The Human Resources Ministry must provide a hotline for employees to complain and ensure that their details are kept secret because many are afraid of being victimised when they lodge complaints.

“The ministry must also take companies which do not implement the rule to court, and a monthly bulletin must be provided to give details on the status of the enforcement measures taken,” she said in a statement today.

The Human Resources Ministry had announced that the minimum wage rule would involve all employers in the private sector, regardless of the number of employees they have, except domestic helpers.

The minimum wages set are according to region, namely RM1,000 per month or RM4.81 per hour for Peninsular Malaysia, and RM920 per month or RM4.42 per hour for Sabah, Sarawak and Labuan.

As for the daily minimum wage rate, it is subject to a maximum of 48 hours per week, which means in the peninsula, for a six-day working week (48 hours), the daily minimum wage rate is RM38.46, five days/week at RM46.15, and four days/week at RM57.69.

In Sabah, Sarawak and Labuan, for a six-day working week, the daily minimum wage rate is RM35.38, five days/week at RM42.46, and four days/week at RM53.08.