This article first appeared in The Edge Financial Daily on August 2, 2018

KUALA LUMPUR: The Pakatan Harapan government will “definitely” be able to achieve its 14th general election promise of announcing a standardised minimum wage for workers nationwide within 100 days of its governance, said Human Resources Minister M Kulasegaran.

Kulasegaran said he will bring up this matter at the cabinet meeting next week and “an announcement will be made in a week or two”.

He said his ministry is ready to take on issues concerning minimum wage, including the quantum, to the cabinet after speaking with employers, employees and non-governmental organisations (NGOs).

“We have had discussions with technical groups and stakeholders, but we need cabinet approval,” he told reporters at the Parliament lobby yesterday. “There are certain procedures to implement it [and] we will bring up this matter in the cabinet next week. We will definitely achieve that [100-day promise].”

“Employers, employees and NGOs have their views, [and] we will take all into account,” he added.

Currently, the minimum wage is RM1,000 a month in Peninsular Malaysia, and RM800 to RM920 in Sabah and Sarawak.

Pakatan Harapan had promised to raise the minimum wage to RM1,500 across the country in different stages during the first term of its administration.