PSM’s S. Arutchelvan alleges that Prime Minister Tun Dr Mahathir Mohamad favours employers over bottom-tier workers. — Picture by Mukhriz Hazim

KUALA LUMPUR, May 3 ― Parti Sosialis Malaysia (PSM) central committee member S. Arutchelvan called out Tun Dr Mahathir Mohamad today, alleging that the prime minister favoured employers over bottom-tier workers, especially those handling dirty, dangerous and difficult jobs dreaded as the 3Ds.

Arutchelvan questioned the prime minister who had said he cannot compel the private sector to pay higher wages but workers should sacrifice and earn low wages in order to develop the nation.

“Why not Mahathir make an appeal to the bosses to pay more taxes for the well being of the nation. Why not Mahathir announce this bold step on May Day that the Bosses have to pay a higher tax to ensure more Malaysians get a better standard of living.

“Why is Tun being difficult with the workers and not the bosses? Why must workers continue to receive indecent wages and at the same time, their rights to protest are disabled.

“Multinational companies are given tax havens but poor Malaysia workers are told to do 3D jobs,” Arutchelvan said in a statement.

During the National Labour Day celebration, the prime minister said to the press that it was better to have low wages in the 3D sector instead of no wages at all when he was told that locals were turned off by the salaries offered.

Arutchelvan said there are many Malaysians working in 3D jobs in Singapore because the pay there is higher.

“Many young graduates don’t mind going to New Zealand to pluck apples because they get a better pay there. Now, would Mahathir also support for 3D jobs in Malaysia to be paid higher to attract the local workers?

“The problem is, on this aspect, Tun does not believe in the market forces. If we don’t allow migrant labour in-flow, that would definitely make 3D jobs very demanding and it raise the wages automatically.

“Here the government support cheap labour policy, then wages are distorted and kept low. Most employers want cheap labour, pay workers little benefit and cut cost. How do you achieve this is simple ― flood the market with cheap labour,” he said.

Arutchelvan also slammed Putrajaya for caving in to the demands of employers and increased the minimum wage only to RM1,050, below the National Wage Legislative Technical Committee’s recommendation of RM1,500.

The socialist politician asked Dr Mahathir why he did not ask employers to take a smaller profit especially in light of Bank Negara's 2018 report which observed that Malaysian workers are paid less for the same productivity compared to other countries and wage productivity levels are misaligned.