Restaurant owners raise concerns over price hikes and cuts in employee numbers.

Workers such as cleaners and security guards at government facilities are owed about RM3,600, MTUC says.

Human Resources Minister V Sivakumar says the government is studying a proposal by the central bank on the implementation of a living wage.

When Malaysians can secure high-skilled, high-income employment within their country, they will be less likely to seek better job opportunities elsewhere.

The most common excuse is that they are old contractors whose tenders were issued before the minimum wage was gazetted.

To increase the minimum wage at this juncture may jeopardise the efforts of employers to revive their businesses following the Covid-19 pandemic.

This does not apply to employers in professional fields, who must pay the minimum salary of RM1,500 regardless of how many workers they have.

Affected workers include those who earn an income by doing odd jobs, as well as companies with fewer than five workers and those facing huge losses such as the hospitality and tourism sectors.

Politicians are urged to honour their promises and announce the new minimum wage order in accordance with their manifesto text.

Food delivery and other big tech company shares lost billions of dollars on the news.

With the economy still reeling from the effects of the Covid-19 pandemic, experts see no immediate solution for fresh graduates seeking 'adequate' pay.