{
  "id": 2684849,
  "title": "Ambil kira keperluan majikan untuk semak semula gaji minimum, kerajaan diberitahu",
  "url": "https://urgent.news/2026/08/23/ambil-kira-keperluan-majikan-untuk-semak-semula-gaji-minimum-kerajaan-2684849",
  "topic": "business",
  "section": "Business",
  "published": "2026-08-23T00:00:00.000Z",
  "source": {
    "name": "Free Malaysia Today",
    "slug": "free-malaysia-today-freemalays",
    "url": "https://www.freemalaysiatoday.com/category/bahasa/tempatan/2026/08/23/ambil-kira-keperluan-majikan-untuk-semak-semula-gaji-minimum-kerajaan-diberitahu"
  },
  "original_language": "en",
  "account": "Malaysia's small and medium enterprises (SMEs) and business owners are warning that the government's planned increase in the minimum wage could severely impact their operations, according to a trade group. The Malaysian Employers Federation (MEF) and the Small and Medium Enterprise (SMB) organization have urged the government to consider their needs and challenges when crafting plans to raise the minimum wage. Samenta, a SMB association, stated that instead of a uniform hike, the government could set wage increases based on business size and geographical location. Meanwhile, the MEF wants any increase linked to productivity. On Tuesday, Human Resources Minister R Ramanan said the government was reviewing proposals to raise the minimum wage from RM1,700 per month to a higher rate. However, he noted the final decision on whether to maintain or raise the rate would be made by the National Wage Consultative Council. William Ng, Samenta's president, said a uniform wage increase would place a heavy burden on the profit margins of small and medium enterprises (SMEs). He said small businesses would struggle to absorb the cost increase. \"Large companies, multinationals, government-linked companies (GLCs) and SMEs in the Klang Valley can easily absorb the hike because median salaries for large companies and SMEs in market centers are much higher than the current minimum wage,\" he told FMT. \"However, micro and SMEs operating in small towns or rural areas, which have very different living costs and business sizes, will be hit the hardest,\" he added. Ng said in the short term, businesses would have to pass on the cost increases to consumers, which could fuel inflation and undermine the government's efforts to manage it. He said if wage hikes are needed, the government should help SMEs reduce other operational costs by lowering land rent or offering tax rebates. In his announcement on Tuesday, Ramanan said the review would take into account factors such as poverty lines and median wages. He said this was aimed at assessing the basic needs of workers and employers' financial capabilities, in addition to inflation, labor productivity and unemployment. The minimum wage was raised to the current rate in August 2025 from RM1,500 per month. It applies to all workers in Malaysia, except domestic workers.",
  "summary": "Persatuan Perusahaan Kecil dan Sederhana Malaysia memberi amaran kenaikan gaji minimum secara menyeluruh boleh jejas margin keuntungan PKS dengan ketara.",
  "key_points": [],
  "editors_take": null,
  "illustration": null,
  "coverage": {
    "outlets": 2,
    "also_reported_by": [
      {
        "outlet": "Free Malaysia Today",
        "title": "Ambil kira keperluan majikan untuk semak semula gaji minimum, kerajaan diberitahu",
        "url": "https://urgent.news/2026/08/23/ambil-kira-keperluan-majikan-untuk-semak-semula-gaji-minimum-kerajaan",
        "published": "2026-08-23T00:00:00.000Z"
      }
    ]
  },
  "ai_generated": true,
  "disclaimer": "Summaries, key points and the editor’s take are written by software from other outlets’ reporting and may contain errors — always check the linked original."
}