KUALA LUMPUR: A coalition called the May First Day will hold a rally on May 1 to highlight the need to increase the current minimum wage from RM1,100 to RM1,800.
Its committee member Syazwani Mahmud said the rally will start from Maju Junction, and participants will then march to Medan Pasar.
Syazwani, who is also the Freedom Academic Movement spokesman, said Bank Negara’s 2018 annual report had highlighted that a graduate’s starting salary has been on a downward spiral since 2010.
“For instance, a graduate’s salary in 2010 was RM1,458, but last year it was RM1,376. This is despite the increase in the cost of living. This was compiled using labour force wage data that surveyed 173,457 graduates from 2010 until 2017. What about those who do not possess any academic qualifications?” she asked in a press conference today.
Meanwhile, Parti Sosialis Malaysia’s S. Arulchelvan said that the Bar Council and Human Right’s Commission of Malaysia (Suhakam) will monitor the rally.
“The police have also been notified and have given us the green light,“ he said.
The coalition is also demanding for fair wages to be extended to migrant workers, and for the repeal of the Prevention of Crime Act (Poca), Prevention of Terrorism Act (Pota), Sedition Act, and Security Offences (Special Measures) Act (Sosma).
