International labour advisor, Callistus Anthony D’Angelus has commended on Prime Minister Datuk Seri Anwar Ibrahim’s bold step in the right direction by revising the salary of civil servants with the 13 percent raise announcement, however SPCAAM President adds the next phase is to increase the minimum wage levels in the private sector to RM2000.
Callistus noted while still below the living wage levels, it is a step in the right direction. “There must be a floor, and it should be at the level of the living wage. The progress cannot stop here and what must be done is to put in place a plan for progressive reform. Perhaps some of Anwar’s vision, reformist zeal and concern for the common people can rub off on the Ministry of Human Resources, employer organizations and big business.”
Even though it will not be sufficient to meet the living wage level, it is a good next progressive step, Callistus said this cannot be relied on employers to do this voluntarily. This has to be driven at a policy level.
On arguments that the market forces decide on wage levels, he said this has been proven to be both untrue and used as an exploitative one-sided mechanism to oppress the lower income group. He said for those who continue to use the market mechanism argument, Callistus asks in turn if they are indeed willing to remove all curbs and restrictions in workers and trade unions initiating industrial action? Questioning if employees can go on strike as they wish without following a process?
Noting that rules and governing mechanisms are necessary, he called for the private sector to do its bit in working on reforming the country. Callistas pointed out that continuing to focus on profits of private enterprises as the primary objective of policies has resulted in a salary lag that has caused an acute cost-of-living crisis in the country.
In this aspect, the SPCAAM President has called on the Prime Minister to encourage the Ministry of Human Resources to be reshaped as Ministry of Labour and focus on interest of labour.
