KUCHING: The setting up of the Sarawak Salary Committee is being proposed to act the role of examining fair wages in conjunction with the minimum and progressive wages in the state.
The proposal from the Malaysian Trades Union Congress (MTUC) Sarawak has received approval from Premier Datuk Patinggi Tan Sri Abang Johari Tun Openg and would be discussed in detail before implementation.
Chairman of MTUC Sarawak, Zaidi Nasar mentioned that this matter was among the topics discussed in a meeting between MTUC and the Deputy Minister in the Sarawak Premier’s Department (Labour, Immigration, and Project Monitoring) Datuk Gerawat Gala at his office, Baitulmakmur Building, here recently.
“The establishment of the Sarawak Salary Committee aligns with the rapidly developing Sarawak economy, with members from trade unions, government department representatives, professional bodies, and employer representatives.
“Any decisions and suggestions from this committee will be presented in the National Wage Consultative Council (MPGN), where it is also represented by workers’ representatives (MTUC),” he said in a statement recently.
Regarding the progressive wage introduced by the federal government, Zaidi mentioned that MTUC suggested its implementation in conjunction with the minimum wage successfully implemented nationwide in May 2022, regardless of the position and location of workers.
He stated that this initiative is a commendable approach, with MTUC Sarawak also supporting efforts to ensure workers could enjoy a comfortable life with fair wages.
Further explaining, Zaidi stated that progressive wages would focus on lower-level and manual workers based on their work experience, qualifications, and individual productivity assessments.
