In honour of Labour Day, about a thousand workers marched to Dataran Merdeka today to seek improved rights, such as a higher minimum wage.

With the support of 60 organisations, including Muda, Bersih, Empower, and Parti Sosialis Malaysia (PSM), participants in the demonstration marched from Menara Maybank for 30 minutes. 

The organisers of the movement are calling for living wages, arguing that the 2022 minimum wage order's RM1,500 minimum pay is still insufficient given the rising cost of living.

They added that not all employees received this amount of pay.

The high cost of living has severely impacted B40 residents, particularly workers, small business owners, students, informal workers, and the unemployed. The rally's organisers stated in a statement that middle-class residents deal with similar problems. 

The demands of the workers include raising the minimum wage to RM2,000, providing a universal basic income of RM1,000 to all non-formal sector workers, ensuring employment for all, and protecting the rights of migrant workers.

According to Malaysiakini, PSM chairman Michael Jeyakumar Devaraj stated that over the past 50 years, the GDP has increased 24 times, but worker incomes have only increased by 1.3 times.

The prosperity of the nation is the outcome of our combined efforts. However, the benefits (for workers) have been disproportionately low, he was cited as adding.

Source: Free Malaysia Today & Malaysiakini