Anwar urges private sector to follow Khazanah’s lead in setting RM3,000 minimum wage

KUALA LUMPUR: Prime Minister Datuk Seri Anwar Ibrahim has urged private companies to emulate Khazanah Nasional Bhd’s decision to set a minimum wage of RM3,000 per month for its employees.

According to the Wilayahku portal, he acknowledged the importance of private companies achieving profitability but also emphasized that there should be a commitment from private sector management to ensure the well-being of their workers.

He made this statement while delivering his message at the 30th Anniversary Celebration of Khazanah Nasional Berhad yesterday, which brought together current and former Khazanah staff.

Meanwhile, Anwar stated that political leaders should not interfere in the business and trade affairs involving strategic national companies, including Khazanah Nasional.

He mentioned that company performance should not be compromised to the extent of incurring significant losses, as previously experienced by the national airline, Malaysia Airlines.

“Congratulations to Khazanah for making every effort to revive Malaysian Airlines. The government will also support this initiative to restore the pride of this national airline on the global stage,” he said on Facebook.

Last month, the Malaysian Trade Union Congress (MTUC) urged the government not to delay announcing a new minimum wage rate for the private sector.

The last revision of the minimum wage by the government was in May 2022, under former Prime Minister Datuk Seri Ismail Sabri Yaakob.

At that time, Ismail’s administration increased the minimum wage from RM1,200 to RM1,500 for private companies with five or more employees.

On May 16, Minister of Economy Rafizi Ramli stated that the proposed minimum wage of RM2,102 per month, suggested by the United Nations Children’s Fund (UNICEF), would be reviewed carefully.