TARGETED subsidies has become a hot issue, following concerns over stretched government finances.
While ground sentiment on the coming Budget 2023 seems to focus more on the cost-of-living factor, and less on wages, the introduction of targeted subsidies should be accompanied by a higher minimum wage.
Historically, with the continued payment of subsidies in Malaysia, there has been limited incentive for employers, including the government, to raise wages.
As such, our income has not kept pace with the cost of living; in fact, real wages have been falling.
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