In a statement, MTUC secretary-general Kamarul Baharin Mansor said the congress had received complaints that companies had reduced benefits, such as canteen food subsidies and transport allowances.

It warned the companies that any reduction in benefits and allowances to workers because of the new minimum wage rate was a “betrayal” of the government’s efforts to increase the income of the B40 group.

It urged all workers to report such acts to the union’s headquarters or nearest labour department so action can be taken against these companies.

It also urged labour departments to be proactive by checking if companies had paid the new minimum wage rate and ensure every complaint received was dealt with immediately.

MTUC said it would get special officers to prepare reports, take action and provide workers with information regarding the new minimum wage.

On March 19, Prime Minister Ismail Sabri Yaakob announced that the government was increasing the minimum wage to RM1,500 a month from May 1.

The Minimum Wages Order, issued by human resources minister M Saravanan, was published on April 28 in the government gazette and uploaded on the official website of the Attorney-General’s Chambers (AGC).

According to the gazette, under Paragraph 4(1), an employee who is not paid basic wages but based on piece rate, tonnage, task, trip or commission, the monthly wage rate payable to the employee with effect from May 1 shall not be less than RM1,500.

The gazette also states that the minimum wage of RM1,500 is exempted for an employer who has fewer than five employees. However, such exemption is only till the end of the year, with full compliance required from Jan 1, 2023.