Pay bus drivers minimum wage or face action, ministry tells firms
The human resources ministry said the labour department will tighten enforcement against parties that violate the laws on wages, including bus companies. (Facebook pic)
PETALING JAYA : The human resources ministry says it will not hesitate to act against companies that flout national wage laws, in response to a report on the low basic salaries paid to bus drivers.
Harian Metro had reported that some express and tour bus drivers claimed they receive basic salaries as low as RM700, with some saying they are not paid base salaries at all.
In a statement today, the ministry said it takes such reports seriously, and that the labour department will tighten enforcement against parties violating the laws on wages.
It reiterated that all companies must pay their employees a minimum of RM1,700 regardless of salary structure, according to the Minimum Wages Order 2024.
It said companies that flout the National Wages Consultative Council Act 2011 are punishable under Section 43 of the Act, with first-time offenders liable to a fine not exceeding RM10,000 for each employee, and repeat offenders a maximum of RM20,000 or up to five years' prison sentence.
In the report, those who claimed they are not paid basic salaries said they have to rely on travel allowances and overtime work to make ends meet.
'In my company, there is no base salary. I earn RM50 for a single trip from Manjung (Perak) to Terminal Bersepadu Selatan (Kuala Lumpur). I can make RM100 a day from a round trip.
'If I take four days off in a month, I earn around RM2,600. If I don't take any day off, I can earn RM3,000,' said a 29-year-old express bus driver who only wanted to be known as Mamat.
Another driver, who asked to be identified as Mior, said he had previously taken only three days off in a month, relying on payment depending on the distance of his trips.
Malaysian Bumiputera Bus Operators Association chairman Zainal Abidin Mehat also said some bus companies allow their drivers to work up to 28 days a month because of a shortage of manpower.
The ministry also said it would carry out a review of 28 labour-related laws through a task force headed by deputy secretary-general (policy and international) Shaharin Umar to ensure that there are no exploitable legal loopholes.
This review is scheduled for completion in May next year.
Hashtags
Try Our AI Features
Explore what Daily8 AI can do for you:
Comments
No comments yet...
Related Articles
Malay Mail
17 minutes ago
- Malay Mail
Two Sabah reps, businessman to face graft charges tomorrow over mining licence scandal
KOTA KINABALU, June 29 — Two state assemblymen and a businessman arrested by the Malaysian Anti-Corruption Commission (MACC) under Ops Adun, are reportedly scheduled to be charged tomorrow. New Straits Times wrote that the Sabah MACC said the trio are expected to be charged at the Special Corruption Court here at about 9am. They will face a total of four charges under the MACC Act 2009. Two of the charges will be brought under Section 16(b)(A) of the Act for offering bribes, while the other two will be under Section 16(a)(A) for accepting bribes. So far, 15 politicians have been implicated in corrupt activities between 2023 and 2024, in exchange for assistance in processing mineral exploration licence applications. Earlier this month, MACC said it would charge two Sabah assemblymen and a civilian in court this month over a corruption scandal involving the mining licences. MACC chief Tan Sri Azam Baki told reporters that the individuals were in the process of being arrested and notified about their court dates.
Malay Mail
17 minutes ago
- Malay Mail
Snail foraging turns tragic as man, 32, found dead in Bau river; Sarawak cops rule out foul play
KUCHING, June 29 — The body of a 32-year-old man was discovered yesterday evening after he failed to return home from foraging for river snails at Kampung Skibang river in Bau. Bau district police chief DSP Dr Daram Ruer said the victim had left home at around 10am, but by 7pm, he still had not returned. 'The villagers went out searching for the victim and found him face down in the river,' he said in a statement today. Paramedics who arrived at the scene pronounced the man dead. The body was later brought to Bau Hospital. Dr Daram confirmed that no criminal elements were found in the case, which has been classified as sudden death. — The Borneo Post
Malay Mail
2 hours ago
- Malay Mail
‘No GPS, no rest breaks': JPJ chief flags major safety lapses at 85 transport companies, including failure to monitor driver hours
KOTA BARU, June 29 — The Road Transport Department (JPJ) has found that 64 per cent of commercial vehicle operators audited during the Special Operation on Safety Audit System Guidelines (Ops Khas JISA) failed to meet mandatory safety requirements. Its director-general Datuk Aedy Fadly Ramli said the nationwide operation, which began on June 23, involved audits on 133 companies operating commercial vehicles. Of these, 85 companies failed to comply with JISA guidelines, while only 48 passed. 'The non-compliant companies comprised 43 lorry operators and 42 tour and express bus operators,' he said after attending JPJ's Setia Khas Assembly here today. Among the key violations were the failure to appoint occupational safety and health officers, lack of GPS installation in all vehicles, and poor GPS monitoring practices. Many companies also failed to record drivers' working hours, which must not exceed eight hours a day, and did not ensure a minimum 30-minute break every four hours of driving. He added that some companies had no safety action plans in place and did not display hotline numbers or the names of responsible officers on their vehicles for public complaints. JPJ director-general Datuk Aedy Fadly Ramli speaks to reporters at Universiti Malaysia Kelantan in Pengkalan Chepa on June 29, 2025. — Bernama pic 'The department will submit the list of non-compliant companies to the Land Public Transport Agency (APAD) for further action, including possible suspension or cancellation of operating licences.' he said. Aedy Fadly stressed that JPJ will not compromise on safety and will continue to take firm enforcement action as part of efforts to enhance road safety and uphold the integrity of the national transport system. — Bernama
