KUALA LUMPUR | Yesterday, on May 1, Labour and civil society groups called for improved salaries for workers across the country and the end to workplace discrimination during a May Day gathering here today.
The theme of “Increase wages, reduce discrimination” is premised on a recent Bank Negara Malaysia report that indicated an imbalance between existing levels of pay and worker productivity.
The report also suggested that RM2,700 a month should be the minimum for an ordinary worker to simply “survive” in urban centres; the minimum wage is currently RM1,100.
“Every year we have different themes and this year was important to put workers at the fore,” said Nik Aziz Afiq Abdul, Parti Sosialis Malaysia’s (PSM) unsuccessful candidate in the Semenyih by-election, who also attended the rally.
The organising committee for this year’s event comprised 99 groups including student bodies, hospital cleaners association, village representatives, PSM, and Sisters of Islam, among others.
Attendees first gathered around 8.30am at the Maju Junction Mall where they watched students perform a short play depicting a rich boss (wearing an Egyptian pharaoh mask) mistreating his workers.
The play ended with a show of prole power when the workers banded together to overthrow their boss with shouts of “Hidup Hidup, Hidup Pekerja”.
The around 300 attendees then proceeded to march through Jalan Tuanku Abdul Rahman towards Dataran Merdeka where a brief demonstration will be held to close the event.
The larger annual May Day Rally was held this year at Wisma MTUC in Subang Jaya, Selangor, which Human Resources Minister M. Kulasegaran attended in a first for a Cabinet member.
