However, he said, that amount drops to RM4,500 for a similar size family living in rural areas.
Explaining how he had arrived at such a conclusion, the Kelana Jaya MP told FMT that it was based on the basic monthly expenditure in urban areas
“House rental or housing loan installment would be RM1,200, car loan for a Perodua MyVi or a Proton would come up to RM500 monthly, food per head would be RM400 (RM1,600 in total), petrol (RM250).
“The electricity and water bills, internet connection, two cellphones, sewerage bill and high rise maintenance bill would all come up to RM1,000,” he said.
Wong added that the two children’s transport to and from school, the wife’s public transport, the family car’s toll would add up to another RM500 monthly.
“The family will also need RM200 monthly for medical purposes and RM100 per person for insurance. Assuming they take two holidays, with each holiday costing RM2,000, they would spend RM4,000 a year which comes to about RM340 a month,” he told FMT, adding that RM500 is also set aside as savings.
Wong said this is his minimum estimate for a family of four, that falls under the M40 group as classified by the government.
M40 refers to the middle 40% of the country’s population with household income of between RM3,860 and RM8,319 while the lower income group or B40 earn RM3,855 or below monthly.
Wong said a rural family of four would need a minimum of RM4,500 a month to be in the middle-income category.
He explained the figures are based on the current economic situation where the cost of living has gone up. However, he said employers were not able to pay higher wages to their employees due to the economic slowdown felt by many companies.
“To solve the problem the government will first have to be honest with their data and figures. Once they do that, they will then have to go to the ground to measure what it means to be in the middle-income group.
“They must clean up their act by cutting corruption so that they will have excess money to help companies by introducing tax cuts. The employers can in return help the employees to get a higher income,’ Wong said.
BR1M for essentials only
The PKR lawmaker said the 1Malaysia people’s aid scheme or BR1M has helped the hardcore poor to cope with their monthly expenses.
“However, we oppose the cash handout having no conditions attached to it. There should be some conditions.
“Such as that youths should be working for at least three months to receive the aid. The money should also be only allowed for essentials, and not to help the recipients cover their expenses for alcohol or cigarettes,” he said.
Wong added PH would like to increase the minimum wages to stop Malaysians from going to Singapore to work and reduce dependency on foreign workers in the country.
In 2016, the minimum wage was revised and raised to RM1,000 in Peninsular Malaysia and RM920 in Sabah, Sarawak, and Labuan. It is expected to be raised again next year.