Guan Eng criticised for opposing minimum wage, EPF for migrants

New Straits Times

2 days ago

KUALA LUMPUR: DAP national adviser Lim Guan Eng has been criticised by labour rights groups for opposing the minimum wage and Employees Provident Fund (EPF) contributions for migrant workers.
UNI-Malaysia Labour Centre (UNI-MLC) president Datuk Mohamed Shafie BP Mammal said Lim's stance was disappointing and shameful, especially from a former cabinet minister who had previously championed workers' rights.
"To deny even the most basic form of social protection to workers doing the dirty, dangerous and difficult (3D) jobs, simply because they were not born here, is inexcusable," he said in a statement today.
Shafie, who is also Asean Services Employees Trade Union Council (ASETUC), said migrant workers deserved equal treatment, including a minimum wage and EPF contributions. He commended the Madani government for recognising their contributions to nation-building.
"Lim should have been proud of Malaysia under Prime Minister Datuk Seri Anwar Ibrahim for demonstrating progressive reforms by upholding fair treatment for all workers," he said.
Shafie added that if Lim refused to acknowledge this, it showed the former finance minister was speaking based on emotion rather than fact.
"Lim's comments discredited the government's bold and principled action.
He also cited International Labour Organisation (ILO) standards. He should be supporting—not opposing—better treatment for all workers regardless of their origin," he said.
Echoing this sentiment, Labour Law Reform Coalition (LLRC) deputy president Andrew Lo said the Bagan member of parliament's remarks were deeply troubling and could further entrench Malaysia's reliance on cheap labour.
"He is giving employers a licence to employ foreign workers with lower salaries and therefore destroying the job market for Malaysian workers," said Lo, who is also chief executive officer of the Sarawak Bank Employees' Union.
He said such a move would betray the interests of local workers.
Lo said Lim lacked an understanding of labour economics and perpetuated 'Malaysians' employer addiction to cheap labour and low wages'.
"He has also offended the ILO Convention 100 on equal pay for equal work, which Malaysia ratified in 1997, and he had no respect for anti-discrimination principles.
"Singapore does not have a minimum wage framework at all, so it is totally misconceived to compare with Singapore," Lo said.
The controversy arose after Lim argued during a debate on the 13th Malaysia Plan in Parliament earlier this week that there was no need to mandate the RM1,700 minimum wage and 2 per cent EPF contributions for migrant workers.
He cited Singapore's exclusion of foreign workers from its Central Provident Fund scheme since 2003 and said it had not faced any repercussions from the ILO.