Implementation of minimum wage from Jan 1 looks set to also leave a mark on the prices of goods and services in Sabah.
RANAU: A senior leader of the State Reform Party (STAR), Sabah chapter, has cautioned consumers that price of goods and services in the state are poised to soar higher in 2013 with the imminent implementation of “minimum wage” law of RM800 across the boards starting Jan 1.
STAR’s Sabah state committee member, Jalibin Paidi, said consumers in Sabah should expect the unpleasant surprises as businesses are expected to pass on to them the extra costs of doing business.
“The direct immediate effect of this minimum wage policy will be an increase of production cost for all employers in the state already burdened with the highest cost of living in Malaysia.
“Expect increases of prices of goods and services (of) anything from 20% to even 200% as the employers would definitely pass the cost to consumers at large,” Jalibin said in his statement in Ranau today.
“Already we in Sabah STAR have been receiving reports from industries that increasing prices of goods and services would inevitably be an option to offset the extra cost for minimum wage of RM800 in Sabah.
“Sabah consumers would be the worst affected by this policy as the gap from old wage to the new one will be the widest as Sabahans are also the least paid in Malaysia,” he said.
Jalibin, who was a school principal before resigning to be active in politics, said that many employees in various sectors in Sabah are paid around RM400 to RM500 a month in the resources-rich but poverty-riddled state.
The party, he said, had been told by those familiar with the restaurant, hotel, hardware, and supermarket sectors in various parts of Sabah that prices in almost all sectors would certainly be increased following the enforcement of the minimum wage policy.
“There are also to be expected some business owners (out) to exploit the situation by increasing prices at (their) whim and fancy but they are expected to respond to market forces once competition sets in,” added Jalibin.
There has also been no indication that the government will allow for grace period until June 2013 for employers with less than five employees on their payroll to delay paying the minimum wage.
“We are concerned on many fronts. No doubt we support higher wages for our under-paid labour force, but we must also have the mechanism to check employers who might try to terminate older staff and take in fresh workers in order to offset costs.
“This will result in unemployment for many and would also affect the quality of services to consumers.
“We are already on the receiving end of many bad things in Sabah, it is only right that the government is cautious when implementing a well-intentioned policy,” he added.
Polisi gaji minima akan mendatangkan impak yang tidak terjangka.
ReplyDeleteKerajaan harus sedar apakah impak yang akan berlaku dengan polisi baru ini dilaksanakan. Beban masih ditanggung oleh rakyat sendiri.
DeleteGaji dsan harga barangan adalah tidak setimpal.
ReplyDeleteKadar kemiskinan masih banyak di Sabah. Usaha membasmi kemiskinan harus diteruskan.
ReplyDeleteGaji minima ini harus dilaksanakan secara berperingkat, banyak impak yang tidak terjangka khas untuk industri kecil.
ReplyDeletegaji minima perlu bagi memastikan tiada pekerja yag mendapt gaji terlalu sedikit.
ReplyDeleteSemoga golongan yang berpendapatan rendah dapat membaiki lagi taraf kehidupan.
ReplyDeleteRakyat Sabah dan Sarawak di kawasan pedalaman kini dapat menikmati harga barangan keperluan harian yang sama seperti rakyat di Semenanjung apabila kerajaan menambah peruntukan RM50 juta bagi kos pengangkutan barangan di kedua-dua negeri tersebut.
ReplyDeleteMenteri Perdagangan Dalam Negeri, Koperasi dan Kepenggunaan, Datuk Seri Ismail Sabri Yaakob berkata, tambahan subsidi tersebut daripada RM200 juta tahun lalu kepada RM250 juta tahun ini akan meliputi 100 kawasan lagi penghantaran di pedalaman.
ReplyDeleteKatanya, kerajaan menyedari bebanan yang terpaksa ditanggung oleh rakyat di kawasan terbabit yang bergantung kepada perkhidmatan pengangkutan air menyebabkan kos membawa barangan dari Semenanjung terlalu tinggi.
ReplyDelete"Bagi tidak membebankan rakyat Sabah, Labuan dan Sarawak, kerajaan pada pembentangan Bajet 2013 menambah RM50 juta lagi peruntukan tersebut," katanya.
ReplyDeletekerajaan turut memperuntukkan sebanyak RM47 juta tahun ini bagi subsidi pengangkutan feri untuk penduduk yang menggunakan perkhidmatan pengangkutan air di Sabah, Sarawak dan Labuan.
ReplyDeleteDalam perkembangan lain beliau memberitahu, kerajaan memperuntukkan RM87 juta bagi membuka Kedai Rakyat 1Malaysia (KRIM) di setiap daerah Sabah, Sarawak dan Labuan.
ReplyDeleteSelain itu katanya, koperasi juga turut mendapat faedah apabila kerajaan menurunkan kadar cukai keuntungan daripada 26 tahun lalu kepada 25 peratus maksimum mengikut kadar keuntungan sesebuah koperasi.
ReplyDeleteKatanya, dengan penurunan kadar cukai tersebut ia memberikan berita gembira buat 9,000 koperasi yang merangkumi tujuh juta ahli di seluruh negara.
Bagi saya pelaksanaan gaji minimum ini adalah satu permulaan yang baik. Cuma mungkin saya mencadangkan di sini jika ada penambaikan untuk dasar gaji minimum (gaji minima ) pekerja swasta pada masa-masa akan datang, mungkin boleh dipertimbangkan gaji minimum sektor swasta di Malaysia diselaraskan mengikut peringkat dan pencapaian masing-masing;
ReplyDelete1. Sijil = gaji minimum sekian – berapa gaji minimum yang sepatutnya ditawarkan majikan?
Delete2. Diploma = gaji minimum sekian – berapa gaji minimum yang sepatutnya ditawarkan majikan?
3. Degree = gaji minimum sekian – berapa gaji minimum yang sepatutnya ditawarkan majikan?’
Dan penawaran gaji seperti ini perlulah merujuk kepada kewangan dan jumlah keuntungan tahunan syarikat tersebut. Dan kalau boleh selepas ini dasar gaji minimum fokus kepada gaji pokok semata.
ReplyDeleteCuma diharapkan buat masa ini, kerajaan memantau dengan lebih ketat lagi turun naik harga barang di seluruh negara, kerana ada kemungkinan majikan ini tidak keberatan untuk menaikkan harga barang atas nama untuk menampung kos operasi.
ReplyDeleteKerajaan juga dalam pada masa harus mengawal kemasukan bilangan pekerja asing daripada masa ke semasa, dan tidak tunduk dengan “desakan” taikun-taikun ini atas nama “penjimatan”.
ReplyDeleteDan besarlah harapan kami, kerajaan perlulah menumpukan gaji golongan profesional selepas ini kerana dilihat ramai pakar kita berhijrah ke luar negara disebabkan gaji di Malaysia masih rendah untuk golongan berpendidikan tinggi ini. Apatah lagi kos sara hidup di Malaysia masih lagi dilihat sukar untuk dibendung.
ReplyDeleteThe people of Sabah have welcomed the scheme to standardise the prices of essential goods in Sabah, Sarawak and Labuan with those in the peninsula, as announced by Prime Minister Datuk Seri Najib Tun Razak in the 2013 Budget.
ReplyDeleteConsumer and human rights activist Datuk Patrick Sindu said the announcement is good news for the people in the state, who have had to endure higher prices for so long.
Delete“I hope this is not just on paper, it would be pointless without sincere implementation by the authorities,” he told Bernama when contacted yesterday.
DeleteHe expressed hope that the price standardisation would benefit the people and not just suppliers and wholesalers.
DeleteMeanwhile, State Consumer Squad chairperson Datuk Amisah Yassin said she hoped traders cooperate with the government to ensure the standardisation was properly and effectively implemented.
DeleteThe government should also act firmly against traders who profiteer from the scheme, she said.
Delete“It is obvious the claims by some quarters including the opposition that the Barisan Nasional is unable to implement the price standardisation scheme are untrue.
Delete“Now, what we buy in the peninsula, we can also buy in Sabah and Sarawak at the same prices,” she added.
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