Malaysia will introduce its first minimum wage to benefit an estimated 3.2 million workers, joining neighbors Thailand and Vietnam in strengthening support for low-income households as elections approach in Southeast Asia’s third-largest economy.
“The lowest-paid will now be guaranteed an income than lifts them out of poverty and helps ensure that they can meet the rising cost of living,” Prime Minister Najib Razak said, announcing the plan in a speech in Putrajaya, near Kuala Lumpur, ahead of today’s Labor Day holiday. “The proposed rates take into account the needs of business, while ensuring that no Malaysian is left behind.” Full story
