PUTRAJAYA: Datuk Seri Anwar Ibrahim has urged the private sector to follow the government's lead in safeguarding workers' welfare by implementing reasonable minimum wages.
The prime minister said the private sector companies, boasting millions in profits annually, should allocate a portion of their earnings towards their workforce, acknowledging their dedication and exemplary productivity.
He said the government, despite having debts and deficits, was serious about safeguarding the welfare of workers, appreciating their sacrifices, and not treating their work as if it is unrecognised.
"If they have good productivity and discipline, we (employers) should consider improving wage rates and providing suitable treatment to them, and this is what the government is doing.
"Although I touched on civil servants today, I want this message to be clear to the private sector as well, regardless of whether the company benefits greatly from the government or receives incentives from the government.
"What I announced today should be heard by the private sector," he said during his speech at the national Labour Day celebration.
Anwar, who is also finance minister, said the private sector should allocate a portion of their profits to their employees as they contributed to the sector's performance.
"The private sector records profits multiple times over, but where do these profits come from? They stem from good productivity. And this productivity comes from their workers.
"So what's wrong with sharing a small portion of those hundreds of millions with the workers in the form of a few hundred ringgit?"
Earlier, Anwar announced a more than 13 per cent increase in civil servants' remuneration, among the highest in Malaysia's history. The increase will be effective Dec 1 this year.
The last time the civil servants' salaries were revised was 12 years ago, and the highest increase in the past was at 13 per cent.
Anwar also announced that the overall minimum pay for civil servants must reach more than RM2,000.
