COMMENT | It felt a little odd to laud the announcement by Human Resources Minister M Saravanan that the monthly minimum wage would be adjusted to RM1,500 from its current figure of RM1,200 this year.

But credit where credit is due, it’s a much-needed adjustment and he’s taking the bull by the horns and taking a proactive step.

Of course, this was the cue for a chorus of the entitled captains of industry to defend their turf and ensure that the masses audacity in demanding a larger slice of the pie was quickly quashed.

Federation of Malaysian Manufacturers president Soh Thian Lai objected to the proposed increase, saying that a 25 percent jump was too drastic.

This followed on the heels of Malaysian Employers Federation president Syed Hussain Syed Husman who claimed that the minimum wage increase would derail our economic recovery, adding that the majority of Malaysian businesses are not ready and not in a position to implement the proposed new minimum wage as they are still...