On May 1 2022, Malaysia increased the national monthly minimum wage from RM1,200 per month to RM1,500 per month. The last time Malaysia’s national minimum wage was increased was in February 2020 from RM1,100 to RM1,200 per month. Since the National Wage Consultative Council Act 2011 obligates the government to review the minimum every two years, the news of the RM300 increase in Malaysians’ minimum wage last May was received with gratitude, albeit a little late — especially since the cost of living has been increasing exponentially of late.
However, when Malaysia’s MPs returned for the 2nd meeting in Parliament on 18th July, one of two Bills passed on the second day in Parliament was the Bills from the Sabah state assembly which was to raise the salaries of the governor, state ministers and executives, and state elected representatives from March 1 this year. This means, there are some “back-dated” salaries that should be added on from March 1.
The passing of these Bills means we will see an increase of 40% of the privy purse. This would include entertainment allowance and regional allowance of the head of state, and the salaries of the chief minister, deputy chief minister, state Cabinet ministers, assistant ministers, state Speaker, deputy state Speaker, state MPs, and political secretaries.
Read more on the salary increase here.
Yes, the Bills were passed but not unanimously. Understandably, some opposition MPs were against it. One MP from Simpang Renggam (Maszlee Malik) tweeted his frustration:
Ketika anak-anak Sabah bergelut untuk ke sekolah kerana infrastruktur dan jalan yang teruk, di kala kedaulatan Sabah dihinjak oleh Sulu, di kala guru-guru di Sabah berkorban banyak di sekolah-sekolah daif, di kala anak-anak OKU dan anak-anak tanpa dokumen dilarang ke sekolah… pic.twitter.com/22Ss4BaiH2
When children in Sabah have a hard time going to school because of bad roads and infrastructures, when Sabah’s sovereignty is being trampled by the Sulu, when the teachers in Sabah had to sacrifice a lot due to the bad conditions of schools (in Sabah) and when disabled children and children without documents (stateless) are prevented from going to schools…
Translated tweet by Simpang Renggam MP, Maszlee Malik
When Malaysian’s minimum wage was raised by RM300 this year, Sabah’s Chief Minister’s (CM) salary was increased to almost RM10,000, from RM23,595. It is understandable that some opposition MPs were against it, especially since Sabah’s CM Datuk Seri Hajiji Noor informed that the increase would cost the state government some RM5.6 million per year. However, as Parliament works on the majority, the Bills were still passed.
Honestly, though, was this the best time for a 40% hike in salary?
Aliza M. is a content writer under Headliner by Newswav, a programme where content creators get to tell their unique stories through articles and at the same time monetize their content within the Newswav app.
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