Saravanan told a press conference that the workers were bound by the terms in their existing contracts, and therefore not subject to the new minimum wage of RM1,500 which came into force on May 1 this year.

He added that the existing contracts were based on the previous minimum wage of RM1,200.

Saravanan said the finance ministry will revise the wages of the security guards and cleaners for those planning to renew their contracts.

“In principle, the finance ministry has agreed to revise the (wages),” he added.

Earlier, the Malaysian Trades Union Congress (MTUC) said companies supplying cleaners and security guards to schools and other government facilities were refusing to pay their workers the new minimum wage of RM1,500.

MTUC also claimed some of these workers have yet to be given their overtime pay and other work benefits.

Its secretary-general Kamarul Baharin Mansor said this was akin to forced labour, pointing out that the new minimum wage had been implemented since May 1.

He added that if this issue persists, the matter will be raised at the upcoming International Labour Conference organised by the International Labour Organization (ILO).