Deputy Human Resources Minister Ismail Abdul Muttalib said the National Wages Consultative Council would conduct a study at least once every two years to decide on the minimum bar on national wages.
This is in line with the National Wages Consultative Council Act 2011, he told the Dewan Rakyat.
Socio-economic factors, productivity, cost of living and the financial capaability of employers will be taken into consideration when reviewing the minimum wage.
“The next review on minimum wage is expected to be in 2018,” he said in reply to a question from Su Keong Siong (DAP-Ipoh Barat), who asked the ministry to state the status of minimum wage implementation in Malaysia.
Ismail said Prime Minister Najib Razak had during Budget 2016 tabled last year, announced the new minimum wage of RM1,000 in the Peninsular, and RM920 in East Malaysia.
The current minimum wage is RM900 and RM800 in the Peninsular and East Malaysia respectively, since it was enforced in 2014.
Ismail said the nation’s productivity growth saw an increase to 3.5% from 1.8%, since the minimum wage was implemented in 2014.
He also said there were many employers however who still failed to comply with the implementation of the new minimum wage rates.