"Plantation Workers Can Barely Live on Malaysia’s Minimum Wage"

...Malaysia has implemented a new minimum wage of RM1,700, up from RM1,500 set in 2022. This legal wage floor applies to all workers, regardless of nationality… some argue that only 10 per cent of the formal workforce, or 600,000 workers, will see the gains...

… The policy is weakly enforced in key segments of the workforce, particularly migrant workers in the oil palm plantation sectors who work in remote locations beyond the reach of labour law inspectors…

… many migrant workers, especially harvesters, earn a monthly income of RM1,000-1,300 for working 8-hour days, while women doing spraying, fertilising, and fruit-picking tend to earn RM800-1,000. Only a few manage to earn above the prevailing RM1,500 minimum wage, often by working overtime or taking on multiple jobs — with some even guarding the plantations overnight after a full day’s work. When we checked back with these workers recently, none were earning the new minimum of RM1,700 within normal working hours…

… low wages mean that workers cannot afford nutritious food, resulting in sub-optimal consumption…

…. The desperate resort to debt, even for basic necessities, suggests that workers’ wages are being suppressed amidst the buoyant growth and profitability of Malaysia’s palm oil plantations...