‘Sekolah Parlimen' Programme Kicks Off With 60 Student Leaders From Perlis
In a statement, the Office of the Speaker of the Dewan Rakyat said the programme, organised in collaboration with the Education Ministry, aims to provide secondary school students with early exposure to the country's parliamentary democracy system and national policy-making processes.
The programme also seeks to nurture leadership qualities among students, instil patriotism towards national institutions and cultivate civic responsibility and integrity among the younger generation.
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Malaysiakini
20 minutes ago
- Malaysiakini
Do migrant workers deserve the same benefits as locals?
YOURSAY | 'Dignity at work is not a privilege, it is a right for everyone.' Guan Eng: No need minimum wage, EPF for existing migrant workers IndigoGoat3056: Bagan MP Lim Guan Eng made a troubling statement in Parliament on Aug 6, asserting that there is no need to mandate the RM1,700 minimum wage or Employees Provident Fund (EPF) contributions for existing migrant workers, arguing that Malaysia is not bound by certain International Labour Organisation conventions. He further cited Singapore's exclusion of Central Provident Fund contributions for migrant workers as justification. This is a deeply disappointing position. The DAP MP, in this case, is operating from a narrow capitalist mindset that clearly contradicts the spirit of the Federal Constitution, fundamental human rights principles, and the values of social justice. Lim's statement reflects an economic ideology that prioritises employer profits over fairness for all workers, particularly migrant workers, who are often among the most exploited. Legally, morally, and constitutionally, this reasoning is flawed. Malaysia's Federal Constitution, under Article 8, guarantees that 'all persons are equal before the law and are entitled to the equal protection of the law.' This does not limit protection to citizens. It includes all persons, including non-citizens. Migrant workers who are lawfully present and employed in Malaysia are entitled to this equal protection. Any policy that denies them basic rights, such as minimum wage or EPF, is discriminatory. The Court of Appeal in Tak Tek Seng further clarified that the right to life under Article 5 includes the right to livelihood. Denying migrant workers fair wages and social protection is a denial of that livelihood - and a denial of dignity. In Kathiravelu Ganesan v Kojasa Holdings Bhd, the Court of Appeal held that a migrant worker qualifies as a 'workman' under Malaysian labour law and can bring claims for unfair dismissal under Section 20(1) of the Industrial Relations Act 1967. If the law recognises their right to challenge unfair dismissal, it must also uphold their right to minimum standards of compensation and retirement protection. Article 6 prohibits all forms of forced labour, regardless of nationality. Paying migrant workers below the wage floor and denying EPF contributions - while demanding full output - amounts to economic exploitation, in breach of the Constitution. Furthermore, Article 10 allows migrant workers to be members of trade unions, affirming their recognised role in the national workforce. Article 155 also provides reciprocal rights for Commonwealth citizens - a reminder that migrant workers are not to be treated as second-class. The idea that existing migrant workers - many of whom have served this country for years - can be excluded from protections just because they were hired earlier is not justifiable. It rewards employers for locking in unfair contracts and punishes workers who have already contributed significantly to Malaysia's economy. Malaysia does not need to wait for international treaties to act justly. Our own Constitution, courts, and conscience demand it. Migrant workers deserve minimum wage, EPF contributions, and equal labour rights - regardless of when they were hired or where they came from. Dignity at work is not a privilege; it is a right for everyone. TMataz: Agree. The minimum wage ruling should apply only to Malaysian citizens. Applying the same ruling to migrants only distracts from the more urgent focus on alleviating the living wage of our fellow Malaysians. An average Singaporean's income is SG$6,000 a month. Sadly, the average income for Malaysians is RM6,000 a month. I believe Malaysia should strive for at least half of that figure, due to our Malaysian equivalent educational literacy and the lower cost of living, which is why the average Malaysian should be earning RM9,900 per month. To progressively push the employer to improve their business productivity and retool their operations to meet today's technological demands, and to be better able to alleviate their Malaysian employees' income. It's not fair to put unfair constraints on local businesses and to force them to pay unreasonably high wages for menial jobs done by migrants. Thus, if we remove migrants from the national minimum wage ruling, then we are able to fast-track wages for our Malaysian citizen workers to double the current minimum. If there is a need to placate international labour rules, just do a separate minimum wage requirement for migrants. Coward: Our ex-finance minister is not showing any knowledge of the market. Minimum wage and EPF contributions for migrant workers are not there to protect them. Both are there to prevent them from undercutting locals. If employers don't have to respect them, then they are cheaper than locals from the employer's viewpoint. When that's the case, who will they employ? In most countries where employers contribute to pension funds, they are required to give migrant workers what they would have contributed to the funds for locals if they didn't have to open the same pension fund account for migrant workers. The people of Selangor: Who came up with the idea of EPF and minimum wages for migrant workers? How will such a policy or ruling benefit our country? What is the purpose of it? Do we want to encourage more migrant workers to come here? What we see is more illegal workers coming here instead. We should suggest better policies for local workers instead of migrant workers; these policies will only burden our employers or businesses and increase our cost of living. BlueGecko7216: Without equal minimum wages for migrants, it will lead to an influx of migrant workers, which is detrimental to local workers. There will also be an improvement in productivity in general. The above is a selection of comments posted by Malaysiakini subscribers. Only paying subscribers can post comments. In the past year, Malaysiakinians have posted over 100,000 comments. Join the Malaysiakini community and help set the news agenda. Subscribe now. These comments are compiled to reflect the views of Malaysiakini subscribers on matters of public interest. Malaysiakini does not intend to represent these views as fact.
New Straits Times
an hour ago
- New Straits Times
No compromise on country's sovereignty
KUALA LUMPUR: Foreign Minister Datuk Seri Mohamad Hasan said every action the government takes on the South China Sea issue is based on thorough and strategic consideration, and that Malaysia's sovereignty will not be compromised. He said matters related to the South China Sea were complex and sensitive and must be approached with great caution and diligence. "I wish to emphasise that in dealing with disputes over the South China Sea, the government takes all necessary steps to ensure our sovereignty, sovereign rights and national interests remain central to every decision made," he said in a written reply in the Dewan Rakyat yesterday. "The government also consistently affirms Malaysia's position in all engagements with foreign nations, at every level, from heads of state to government officials." Mohamad was responding to a question from Tan Sri Muhyiddin Yassin (PN-Pagoh), who asked about the measures the government was taking to ensure Malaysia maintained a neutral yet sovereign position in international conflicts. Muhyiddin's question referenced the Malaysian Airlines flight MH17 case, the South China Sea dispute and Prime Minister Datuk Seri Anwar Ibrahim's recent visits to Russia and China. Mohamad said in its role as the Asean-China country coordinator until July 2027, Malaysia was working to expedite the negotiation process of the Code of Conduct for the South China Sea to ensure a substantive and effective agreement was concluded as soon as possible. "Malaysia will continue to uphold its sovereignty, sovereign rights, and national interests in its maritime zones in accordance with international law, particularly the 1982 United Nations Convention on the Law of the Sea." On MH17, Mohamad said Malaysia remained committed to pursuing justice for all victims, their families, and the parties involved. He said Anwar raised the outcome of the legal proceedings relating to the MH17 tragedy during his meeting with Russian President Vladimir Putin in Moscow on May 14. "President Putin expressed his condolences to the families of the victims, describing the incident as a tragedy, and gave assurance that Russia would cooperate with an independent and credible investigation. "The Malaysian government reaffirms its commitment to a transparent judicial process, in accordance with international law, to hold those responsible for this horrific tragedy accountable, and remains steadfast in its pursuit of justice for the victims' families," he added.
Borneo Post
an hour ago
- Borneo Post
Strengthen safety nets, don't dictate retirees' use of EPF savings, says social activist
Voon says any attempt to retroactively or unilaterally change withdrawal terms after contributors have met the required conditions undermines public trust in the system. – Bernama photo KUCHING (Aug 7): The government should focus on strengthening social safety nets, improving financial literacy and ensuring Employees Provident Fund (EPF) returns remain strong instead of controlling how retirees use their savings, said social activist Voon Shiak Ni. She said any attempt to retroactively or unilaterally change withdrawal terms after contributors have met the required conditions undermines public trust in the system. 'In light of this, public feedback is to urge the federal government to uphold the current withdrawal policy at age 55 without additional restrictions; refrain from introducing any new conditional withdrawal mechanisms for eligible retirees; and recognise that financial freedom in retirement is a personal right – not a government-controlled benefit. 'It is a fundamental principle that Malaysian EPF contributors are entitled to withdraw their savings in full upon reaching the age of 55 in accordance with existing EPF regulations. 'These funds represent the hard-earned savings of workers accumulated over decades, and the right to access them upon reaching retirement age must be respected and protected,' she said in a statement yesterday. Voon stressed that once members reach this milestone, it was no longer within the government's discretion to dictate how and when their savings should be accessed, and reiterated that the decision on how to manage their own retirement funds should rest fully with the account holders. 'EPF was never intended to be managed like a pension scheme, where funds are released monthly – it is a retirement savings fund, and contributors must retain the freedom and autonomy to make financial decisions based on their individual needs and circumstances.' She said the government must honour the rules and regulations of EPF contributions and commitment to protect the retirement rights of Malaysians. On the other hand, Labour Law Reform Coalition deputy president Andrew Lo said theoretically, the government's proposal was 'the way forward' as retirement income should be on a regular sustainable withdrawal instead of a lump sum. 'This will only work if the current inadequate retirement savings amongst majority of EPF contributors – current and future – is resolved, otherwise the monthly withdrawal or payout will be a pittance. 'It will also work if adequate monthly retirement withdrawal is about 40 per cent of pre-retirement income,' he said, adding pensions for civil servants were currently at 50 per cent of basic salary before retirement. Lo said the proposal might also work if retirement age was increased to at least 65 to enable workers to build up sufficient savings, reduce pension costs and boost labour productivity and improve fiscal and economic performance. 'On top of that, the government must introduce a universal basic pension which can be funded by the many welfare and handout schemes which are currently being implemented on ad hoc and at the whims of political convenience.' Meanwhile, it was reported that several leaders here opposed to proposed move to restrict EPF lump sum withdrawals, stating such a policy would deprive contributors of rightful access to their own savings. EPF said the proposal was still under review and in the interim, existing rules and withdrawal mechanisms remain unchanged. epf safety nets Voon Shiak Ni
