The Penang division of the Malaysian Trades Union Congress (MTUC) has expressed shock over Transport Minister Anthony Loke's revelation yesterday that the executive chairperson of the Malaysian Aviation Commission (Mavcom) is paid a monthly salary of RM85,000.

MTUC Penang secretary K Veeriah said in light of the said issue, workers are wondering aloud how much is paid to the chairpersons of other bodies, such as the Land Public Transport Commission (Spad) and the Election Commission, among others.

"Such inappropriate rates of pay, we take the liberty to contend, are a complete waste of the country's financial resources and, in the case of Mavcom, the RM1 that we pay for a flight," Veeriah told Malaysiakini.

"To put it in another perspective, we think it is immoral and devoid of any justification - why, even criminal, for want of a description," he added.

Veeriah said the vast segment of the nation's citizens are trapped in the vicious circle of middle and low-income pay.

He added that the Penang division of MTUC is of the view that such unjustified salaries, paid to a few, are "a gross injustice" to the deprived working class of the nation.

"MTUC Penang Division is of the conviction that the government is under an obligation to expose the full extent of the salary and perks that are accorded to individuals who hold such worthless positions of political patronage," Veeriah said.

"We are convinced that such exposures should also include the chiefs of government-linked companies, as we believe that they too are privy to such unholy salaries and benefits while workers in such establishments are paid a pittance," he added.

The current executive chairperson of Mavcom is Abdullah Ahmad.

Loke had noted yesterday that the Mavcom chairperson's salary is over four times what the prime minister himself earns.

“It (Mavcom chairperson’s salary) is more than the prime minister’s basic salary, which is RM20,000-plus a month,” he said.

The federal government, Loke added, would be reviewing the salaries of all heads of statutory bodies, commissions and government-linked companies.