MTUC urges Najib to review Proton wages
By Anis Ibrahim
New Straits Times

PETALING JAYA: Skilled assembly workers in Proton Holdings, the national car producer, are earning below the country's poverty line, the Malaysian Trades Union Congress said yesterday.
The RM600 salary for Proton's estimated 3,000 assembly workers is the lowest among the country's government-linked companies (GLCs).

MTUC secretary-general G. Rajasekaran said the sum was way below the poverty line of RM720.

"Not only is Proton a GLC, it also produced our country's first car, which is supposed to be a source of national pride.



"There should be some minimum standards for its workers but, unfortunately, after Employees Provident Fund and Social Security Fund deductions, their take home pay is only RM520," he said here yesterday.

He cited several GLCs for comparison.

Malaysia Airlines and MISC Berhad are among the GLCs at the top of the rung, with their lowest salaries at RM1,000.

Next are TM Berhad and Tenaga Nasional Berhad, where the minimum pay is RM800.

Just above Proton is Pos Malaysia, which pays its postmen RM635 a month.

Rajasekaran said the salary for Proton's assembly workers had not changed much since they were paid RM315 a month when the first collective agreement was concluded in 1987.

Although the amount had risen over the past two decades, the present salary of RM600 had not changed since 2003.

"We are disappointed that Proton insists on maintaining its low-wage policy," he said.

"This is a clear case of exploitation."

A Proton employee, who wanted to remain anonymous, said assembly line workers were dissatisfied with the company.

"Their salary hasn't gone up since 2003 and they're tired of what's going on.


"What they're most unhappy with is that Proton employs only Malaysians; it has a locals-only policy, and yet they are paid so little," the employee said.

"How can it be fair to pay RM600 to someone who puts together the national car?"

MTUC will be submitting a memorandum on the matter within the week to Prime Minister Datuk Seri Najib Razak, Proton chairman Datuk Mohd Nadzmi Mohd Salleh and Proton founder and former prime minister Tun Dr Mahathir Mohamad.

"We urge the prime minister to urgently intervene and take steps to raise the wages to a minimum level of RM1,000, similar to other GLCs," Rajasekaran said.