SHAH ALAM – The current economic downturn is among the factors contributing to low salaries of between RM1,000 and RM1,500 being offered to fresh graduates, said Human Resources Minister Datuk Seri M. Saravanan.
“We have not changed the minimum salary (of RM1,200) but in this situation, there are employers offering jobs to the unemployed.
“I suggest that we accept the offered salary instead of being unemployed,” he told a press conference after attending the Malaysia Prihatin Programme and the handing-over ceremony of the Trade Union Development Grant (GPKS) 2021 here today.
According to a recent Statistics Department report, the majority of graduates entering the job market last year received a monthly salary of between RM1,001 to RM1,500, compared with the average of RM2,001 to RM2,500 recorded in 2019.
Meanwhile, GPKS is a one-off financial assistance for trade unions registered with the Trade Union Affairs Department (JHEKS), comprising four categories, namely training, computer, website development and publication grants.
To date, the ministry, through JHEKS, has approved 128 out of 210 applications received from trade unions nationwide for the GPKS 2021, involving a total allocation of RM1.1 million. – Bernama, April 5, 2021
