PUTRAJAYA: The Human Resources Ministry is preparing special guidelines to ensure the orderly implementation of the Minimum Wage Order, including for semi-skilled workers and graduates, as announced in the 2027 Budget.
Human Resources Minister Datuk Seri R Ramanan said the Starting Basic Salary Guidelines based on the Malaysian Standard Classification of Occupations (Masco) would provide more comprehensive starting basic salary benchmarks according to job types and qualification levels.
"The salary guidelines for Masco categories 1 to 3 have been determined based on the findings of the Graduate Study, following several engagement sessions.
"The guidelines have also taken into account the starting basic salary recommendations under the Progressive Wage Policy (DGP), complementing the salary guidelines for Masco categories 4 to 8," he told a press conference on the 2027 Minimum Wage Order here today.
For graduate-level jobs, Ramanan said his ministry had proposed salary benchmarks for Masco categories 1 to 3, covering graduates with degrees, diplomas and Malaysian Advanced Skills Diplomas at Level 5.
The proposal also covers holders of Malaysian Skills Diplomas at Level 4 and Malaysian Skills Certificates at Level 3, which will initially be implemented in the form of guidelines.
"For semi-skilled jobs, the ministry will align this approach with the Skills-Based Starting Basic Salary Guidelines.
"This includes holders of Malaysian Skills Certificates at Levels 1 and 2, enabling the starting basic salary framework to be expanded more comprehensively across Masco categories 1 to 8," he said.
Ramanan said his ministry was also refining a mechanism to monitor workers' salary payments through the e-wages module, which would facilitate and strengthen the enforcement of labour laws.
The initiative is intended, among other things, to ensure that salaries are paid through methods stipulated under the Employment Act 1955 and reduce cases of unpaid or delayed wages, incorrect salary payments and wages below the minimum wage rate.
"The e-wages mechanism will be proposed for application to all workers, including non-citizens," he said.
At the same time, Ramanan said the ministry would take the necessary steps to amend the National Wages Consultative Council Act 2011 [Act 732] to incorporate educational qualification requirements.
This would enable minimum wage payments for graduates to be made mandatory in the future, as the Act currently contains no specific provision for setting minimum wages based on educational qualifications.
"The ministry aims to publish and implement these guidelines alongside the implementation of the Minimum Wage Order in June 2027.
"This approach will provide employers and workers with a clearer, centralised reference for starting basic salaries according to occupation, qualifications and skills," he said.
Prime Minister Datuk Seri Anwar Ibrahim had earlier said the government had agreed to raise the minimum wage from RM1,700 to RM2,000, effective June 2027, benefiting more than four million workers.
Anwar was reported to have said that micro, small and medium enterprises with annual sales below RM50 million would be exempted from implementing the new rate to allow them time to adjust their business models.
He said the government would also introduce reforms to the workers' income framework, including an initial minimum monthly wage of RM2,500 for semi-skilled jobs and graduates.
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