RM1,500 minimum wage to be implemented May 1

SHAH ALAM - The RM1,500 minimum wage policy will be implemented on May 1.

Prime Minister Datuk Seri Ismail Sabri Yaakob said this in his closing speech during the final day of the Umno Annual General Assembly.

However, he said this will not apply to small-scale businesses and micro-companies as they could not afford to pay such an amount.

"We understand the restaurants or food stalls in the village or rural areas as many may not be able to pay such amount to their staff.

"They may just be a small scale shop that needs some assistance to run it thus we can’t force them to pay minimum wage,” he told the crowd in Dewan Merdeka, World Trade Centre.

He said the Human Resource Minister will meet with Tan Sri Noh Omar, the Entrepreneur Development and Cooperative Minister.

Ismail, who is the Umno Vice-President, said the new RM1,5000 minimum wage will only apply to government-linked companies, big companies and institutions.