Malaysia is one of Asia's biggest employers of foreign labour. But recently, cases of deaths, abuse and forced labour have come to light. What is going on? Who is protecting these migrant workers?
The others are clinic assistants in Peninsular Malaysia and Sabah and casual
farm workers in Sabah and Sarawak.
<p>This was disclosed to the New Straits Times by Human Resources Minister Datuk
Seri Dr Fong Chan Onn.</p>
<p>Details of the scheme, including the minimum pay, are expected to be made public
next month by the chairmen of the minimum wage councils.</p>
<p>Fong said: "The chairmen are in the final stages of formulating their
findings and decision."</p>
<p>Minimum wage councils were set up by the government in 2005 to look into the
salaries of these workers in seven locations.</p>
<p>They are:</p>
<p>- Private security guards in Peninsular Malaysia.</p>
<p>- Private security guards in Sarawak.</p>
<p>- Private security guards in Sabah.</p>
<p>- Private clinic assistants in Peninsular Malaysia.</p>
<p>- Private clinic assistants in Sabah.</p>
<p>- Casual farm workers in Sabah.</p>
<p>- Casual farm workers in Sarawak.</p>
<p>These workers number 1.2 million.</p>
<p>Fong said the minimum wage would be an improvement over the current situation
where some security guards take home just RM500 a month after overtime.</p>
<p>Most clinic assistants and casual farm workers earn between RM200 and RM500
a month.</p>
<p>The government introduced a minimum wage of RM700 for stevedores in 1981.</p>
<p>However, the rate is no longer used by the industry as market forces have pushed
up salaries.</p>
<p>"I think this category of people is underpaid and they need to be given
a fair salary for the job they do."</p>
<p>He said the wage councils would also look at the workers’ rest days, including
the wage to be paid if they worked on rest days, besides other terms and conditions.</p>
<p>They will also look at retirement schemes for the workers.</p>
<p>Each council is made up of three independent members, two employers and two
union representatives.</p>
<p>The next in line for a minimum wage are dock workers such as cargo handlers.</p>
<p>Fong said he had directed his officers to look into this and to determine if
there was a need to set up a wage council for this group of workers.</p>
<p><i>Source: http://www.nst.com.my/Current_News/NST/Friday/National/20070720085448/Article/index_html</i>
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