In a statement today, the MTUC urged the government to increase the minimum wage, which was supposed to be done by Jan 1 this year.

Secretary-general of MTUC Kamarul Baharin Mansor said that the announcement of the increase in electricity tariffs for non-domestic consumers came as a shock to MTUC, who was waiting for news of the revision to the minimum wage instead.

The Energy Commission announced on Jan 28 that domestic users in the peninsula will receive a rebate of 2 sen per kWh from Feb 1 to June 30. However, non-domestic users will be imposed a surcharge of 3.7 sen per kWh.

Kamarul said that the law required a revision in the minimum wage to be done every two years, and that the last increase took place in January 2020.

“The increase in electricity tariffs for non-domestic consumers due to surcharges will cause an increase in the cost of other goods, and it is these consumers who will have to bear such costs,” he said.

Kamarul said that it is the working class that will be impacted by such added costs, and an increase in the minimum wage will lessen their burden.

He said that a report on the salary of cleaning workers in Singapore reaching RM10,000 may be used as a guide to study the revision in the minimum wage in Malaysia, and MTUC will liaise with the relevant agency in Singapore on the best methods to use.

He said that MTUC has sent a letter to Prime Minister Ismail Sabri Yaakob to discuss the matter.

The Energy Commission earlier said electricity costs had increased by 45% because of higher prices of coal.