ALOR SETAR| Employers with less than five workers have been exempted from the implementation of the Minimum Wage Order (PGM) 2022 until the end of the year, says Deputy Human Resources Minister Datuk Awang Hashim.
He said, however, that employers involved in professional fields such as lawyers and doctors would still have to follow the stipulated minimum salary of RM1,500 for each employee, regardless of how many workers they have.
“All employers in any economic sector are not exempted from the implementation of the PGM which came into effect on May 1. But for other employers (with less than five workers), they have been given a deferment until Dec 31 this year.
“This relaxation is to give them some room to make appropriate preparations regarding the payment of salaries that has been finalised by the government,” he told reporters after the Social Security Organisation’s (Socso) Hari Raya Aidilfitri event here on Thursday (May 12)
On April 27, the government gazetted the implementation of the minimum wage of RM1,500, which came into effect on May 1, for employers who employ five or more employees as well as employers who carry out a professional activity classified under the Malaysia Standard Classification of Occupations (MASCO) 2020.
Meanwhile, at the ceremony, he presented benefits to 13 insured persons totaling more than RM26,100.
“Socso Kedah has presented benefits to insured persons totalling over RM29 million in 2021 compared to more than RM41 million in 2020. There was a decrease of 28.85 per cent in total payments made, as in 2020, the COVID-19 situation was still bad.
“Besides that, Socso Kedah also made payments to insured persons infected with COVID-19 at the workplace from January to April 2022 amounting to more than RM7 million, with 4,633 cases,” he said.
In the meantime, Awang also called on self-employed individuals such as fishermen, gardeners and rubber tappers to also contribute to Socso to ensure they were protected in the event of an accident or disaster while working.
