Suddenly, the government got back some of their senses and decided that what the civil servants take home is not enough to allow them to live a decent life and thus gave them a handsome pay raise. Now, everybody want a piece of that ‘newfound wealth’ (they have been starving for quite sometime), like a pool of hungry crocs. So, price increase further. Big bro government come in to stop that, but they can only stop the smaller crocs (mamak, small traders etc) and not the big one (big companies). Now everybody cannot take it anymore and demand a minimum wage of RM900 plus COLA RM300 i.e. minimum gross pay of RM1200. This mean sweepers, tea lady etc. etc. should get a min. pay of RM1200. Well, although RM1200 is not really a big amount of money (by today’s cost of living) but this would definitely bring some serious economics consequences. If a sweeper get RM1200, do you think a clerk or a junior executive would be happy with RM1600. No way. These non-unionized group of the workers would also start to demand for a higher pay and the chain reaction continues. In view of these, then how much would these employers charge for their goods and services in order to make some decent profit since the economic cake is not going to get bigger at any time soon? So, this is definitely not workable. Hope those decision makers learned their lesson. If it ain’t break, don’t fix it.

Sparing a thought for those low wage earner, however, how do they survive with their current meagre salary. Pity them too.

I was talking to some of my friends only this past Tuesday night about a radio broadcast that I heard that evening which mentioned that Badawi had said something about workers resolving things properly. He further added that these workers should watch out, otherwise foreign workers would take their jobs. Finally he said something about foreign companies moving out to other countries, if labour rates were too expensive.

What’s the harm in Badawi looking into a minimum wage for workers? Afterall, his administration has raised just about everything thing that is, from tolls to petrol. Even civil servants have gotten a pay rise. So what’s the harm in listening to people who are having a hard time making ends meet?

It’s also bullshit saying that companies will go overseas, as they have already gone to places like China. And you cannot say that its labour wages is solely responsible for this, as Thierry Rommel has already pointed out, the NEP is overly protective. So, this all must be looked into as well.

When you raise salaries the general level of prices would sooner or later absorb much of this increase - which makes any monetary gain from such increase illusory.

When you refer to purchasing power you are referring to the purchasing power of the ringgit vis-a-vis to other currencies.

But for the poor lower income private sector employee- the government attitude is: ‘WHO CARES….YOU SOLVE YOUR OWN PROBLEMS’………

Najib had once said ‘the subsidy for petrol is PERBELANJAAN HANGUS’ ……so when the private sector lower income employees live in poverty due to the chain-effect of increase in oil price and then Public Sector employee salary, the government do not really care….

The other obvious fact is: THE CIVIL SERVICE EMPLOYEES ARE MOSTLY COMPRISED OF ONE ETHNIC GROUP.. THE PRIVILEGED RACE…

So… to people whose welfare are not bothered by the present government, We should give a show cause letter to the BN government -”why the shouldn’t be replaced”

In the United States we have minimum wage of $7.50 per hour for many years. This has not been revised for some 20 years or more despite the fact the U.S. has all the legislation to protect their citizens and workers from exploitation - until this year when revision to some $8.00 per hour is to be implemented in stages.

But this minimum wage has not deterred employers from employing those who are desperate for work and paying them cash at a lower rate - usually around $5.00 per hour. At this minimum wage the average worker in the U.S. is too poor to afford most things in life like decent accommodation. So what do they do?? They do two or three jobs to make ends meet. Jobs that pay minimum wage are those at fast food outlets, jobs as cleaners and temps who do from a few days to two to three months or less at any one workplace.

Now during the summer break, you see high school kids working at fast food outlets earning their pocket money before making their way to college - mostly on their parents’ scholarships if they can afford, and working their way through each summer.

My guess is that in Malaysia there is no in-depth study of what a minimum wage policy could cause the country. There will be higher income taxes. What would be the effect of higher income taxes in a country like Malaysia? Malaysia already has a steeply graduating income tax regime in our part of the world.

What would be the consequences of a minimum wage across the board for our industries?? Will it not lead to an escalation in costs for the private sector? With such massive escalation in labor costs would it not act as a disincentive to saving and investment?

Then there is the issue of the illegal work force working for less than the minimum. A similar situation exists in the United States. It is in the interest of the large U.S. corporations not to legalize illegal immigrants because then they could keep exploiting the cheap labor. Immigration is an issue which divides America today. Any minimum wage in Malaysia would not apply to illegals working for such low pay and on less than humane conditions.

Clever yeah…reason for visit..: work and pleasure ! NOT BAD! honey moon and official visit…who pay eh? Is it from his pocket or tax payers money/ government money!

A bit unfair drag him out of lesiure and give him a shake up? Give him a break! Nevermind, he got deputies to handle it. Can they be trusted or are they waiting to usurp the power?

What a dilemma he is in! Poor AAB!