KUALA LUMPUR: Newly elected MP for Hulu Selangor P Kamalanathan said addresing the plight of plantation workers living below the poverty line in Kuala Kubu Baru is his priority.
“I've been in discussions with Human Resources Minister Dr S Subramaniam and the National Union of Plantation Workers (NUPW) regarding this matter," said Kamalanathan.
"We are looking into the possibility of implementing a minimum wage scheme to tackle the issue."
FMT reported yesterday that there were plantation workers in Hulu Selangor who were earning an average RM400 a month, and may end up taking home as little as RM33 after various deductions are made from their salaries.
A huge proportion of votes from the recent by-election in Hulu Selangor were from plantation workers and could well have been pivotal in ensuring a win for BN.
Kamalanathan, mindful of their contributions, said he will do his utmost to fulfil his campaign promises.
'Inhumane to be paid less than poverty level'
Meanwhile, DAP's Petaling Jaya Utara MP Tony Pua said the government should seriously consider implementing a minimum wage scheme.
This is because the current wage system based on collective agreements had resulted in many employees to live below subsistence levels.
Pua described as "inhumane” for someone to be paid wages below the poverty level by plantation companies raking in huge profits.
The poverty line index in Malaysia is RM720 in Peninsular Malaysia, RM830 in Sarawak and RM960 in Sabah.
About 5.2% of the population in the Peninsula and 28.6% in Sabah are living below the poverty line.
Pua suggested that the minimum wage be pegged at a competitive level to prevent exploitation of workers and at the same time prevent job cuts.
"These plantation companies make a lot of profit and it is only right that they treat their workers fairly and pay them what they deserve,” said Pua.
"Look at Singapore. It subsidises the wage bill of employees in the private sector to prevent a cut in jobs and maintain a minimum wage level," he added.
'The sooner the better'
Meanwhile, the chairman of Asli Centre for Public Policy Studies (CPPS) Ramon Navaratnam said that the sooner the minimum wage is implemented the better.
"If we want to raise income and the standard of living, we must first increase the minimum wage of our workers," he said.
He added that the key element to a minimum wage structure is the ability to drive productivity and deliver what is required of them in their jobs.
"We cannot tolerate the subsidy mentality too long because it will undermine our prospects of achieving the objectives of the New Economic Model. Besides, they run the risk of getting stuck in their jobs," he said.
Ramon said although initially, productivity will be slow for the wages they will be paid, this step was necessary to ensure that we become a high income, high productivity nation.
"This will also discourage cheap unskilled foreign labour from being brought in as domestic and plantation workers and reduce the effects of the brain drain from our country."
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