2024 May Day March Demands Government To Provide ‘Living Wage’ Of RM2000

2024 May Day March Demands Government To Provide ‘Living Wage’ Of RM2000

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Urging the government to raise the minimum wage to RM2,000, a coalition of 12 non-governmental organisations (NGOs), political parties, and civil movements plans on organising a May Day march on Labour Day.

Fun Fact: Malaysia celebrated Labour Day for the first time on 1 May 1973. The May Day March or Workers’ Day March has been held annually since 1994 to advocate workers’ rights, better working conditions and livable wages.

This year, the march will be themed ‘Living Wage’, and is set to take place at 10 am, from Dataran Maybank in Bangsar to Dataran Merdeka.

Organisations including Persatuan Sahabat Malaysia, Suara Rakyat Malaysia (Suaram), Parti Sosialis Malaysia (PSM), and the Malaysian United Democratic Alliance (Muda) are members of the coalition.

Suara Rakyat Malaysia project manager Azura Nasron stated that 35% of formal sector workers earn less than RM2,000 per month, with most aged 45-49 earning less than RM3,500.

The focus of this year’s rally will be on gaining a ‘Living Wage’ rather than the minimum wage.

“Even if you follow the government model for determining wages, that is accounting for inflation, housing and food, and so on, the minimum wage should be RM2,400,” said S. Arutchelvan, PSM leader as reported by Malaymail.

He added that they are proposing RM 2000, the middle ground from the expected minimum wage.

Although the government has established the minimum salary at RM1,500, May 1Secretariat spokeswoman Parameiswary Elumalai, stated that the sum is still low in comparison to the rising cost of living.

Everything is going up but wages are not. Recently, the issue of wages has been taken very seriously… However, until now, we have not yet been invited by the minimum wage coordination committee to discuss the upcoming minimum wage. We are very disappointed.

May 1Secretariat spokeswoman Parameiswary Elumalai via NST.

“The government needs to implement a living wage of RM2,000 so that workers can afford basic needs such as food, housing, healthcare, childcare, and education,” she said during the media briefing for the 30th Workers’ Day procession held at the Kuala Lumpur and Selangor Chinese Assembly Hall.

Malaysia’s minimum wage increased by RM300 in 2022, marking the highest increase in the country’s history.

According to Bank Negara Malaysia’s 2018 standard, the living wage for adults is RM2,700.

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