Better pay for security guards

Friday April 23, 2010

Better pay for security guards
By SHAUN HO and CHRISTINA TAN


KUALA LUMPUR: Security guards in the private sector will enjoy a huge increase in salary beginning July 1.

Announcing the pay increase yesterday, Human Resources Minister Datuk Dr S. Subramaniam said the take-home pay for workers in the sector after the increase would range between RM1,100 and RM1,450 per month.

Their current salary is between RM300 and RM400 per month as provided under the Wages Council Act, he said, adding that the details of the salary increase in various zones would be released later.

Dr Subramaniam said about 40,000 foreigners are involved in the industry, and ministry sources said about 150,000 Malaysians worked as security guards.

He also hoped the salary in­­crease would encourage more Malaysians to become guards.

“We are also planning to in­­crease the salary of workers in the textiles, electronics and hospitality industries. We hope to finalise it by the end of the year,” he told reporters at the Parliament lobby here yesterday.

Dr Subramaniam said his ministry was now reviewing the labour laws to encourage economic growth to complement the New Economic Model.

He said the ministry had discussed this with the Malaysian Employers Federation, the Federation of Malaysian Manufac­turers, the Malaysian Trades Union Congress, National Union of Plantation Workers and Cuepacs to get feedback and proposals.

He added that the ministry planned to review various labour laws with the hope of making things more business-friendly,” he added.

Datuk Lee Hwa Beng, who is chairman of the national minimum wage council for private security guards, said that with the new salary scale, security guards should perform better.

The low pay had resulted in poor quality work, he said, adding that many had to work double shifts or work 16 hours to make ends meet

“This has caused the public to lose confidence in the industry,” Lee added.

Below is the article in Bahasa Melayu taken from Berita Harian dated 23rd April 2010:

Gaji minimum jaga RM1,100 mulai Julai

2010/04/23

KUALA LUMPUR: Kira-kira 190,000 pengawal keselamatan akan menikmati kenaikan gaji pokok antara 67 peratus hingga 75 peratus kepada RM1,100 hingga RM1,450, mulai 1 Julai depan.

Menteri Sumber Manusia, Datuk Dr S Subramaniam, berkata pekerja sektor keselamatan ketika ini menerima gaji pokok antara RM300 hingga RM400. Bercakap kepada pemberita di lobi Parlimen semalam, beliau berkata keputusan menaikkan gaji itu dilakukan mengikut Akta Majlis Penetapan Gaji 1947. “Saya mengharapkan dengan kenaikan gaji pokok itu, dapat menarik lebih ramai warga tempatan menyertai sektor keselamatan, sekali gus mengurangkan pergantungan kepada pekerja asing,” katanya.

Ketika ini ada antara 30,000 hingga 40,000 pengawal keselamatan warga asing.

Subramaniam berkata, Majlis Penetapan Gaji juga sedang menyediakan kertas kerja bagi pekerja di sektor perkhidmatan, elektronik dan tekstil.

"Kita berharap dapat mengumumkan gaji pokok minimum dalam sektor hospitaliti sebaik saja kajian mengenainya selesai dalam tempoh dua hingga tiga bulan lagi. Kita memerlukan lebih masa mengkaji gaji minimum untuk pekerja industri lain," katanya.

Sementara itu, katanya, kementerian dalam proses mengkaji semua undang-undang buruh untuk menggalakkan pertumbuhan ekonomi selaras dengan Model Ekonomi Baru (MEB) yang diumumkan Perdana Menteri, Datuk Seri Najib Razak.