PUTRAJAYA: The policy paper on Progressive Wage Policy will be tabled at the National Economic Action Council (MTEN) in August, said Economy Minister, Rafizi Ramli.
He said the Progressive Wage Policy developed by his ministry and the Human Resource Ministry is aimed at ensuring growth of the people's wages which is more inclusive and driven towards a generation of better income
"Even if the government focuses 100 per cent on the price of goods, but without efforts and initiatives to raise people's wages commensurately, the community will continue to struggle with the issue of the cost of living," he said in a press conference here today.
Rafizi said focusing on the growth of people's wages will be the main theme in the country's economic planning under the upcoming Malaysia Plan, apart from helping to deal with people's living costs.
Meanwhile, in an effort to ensure the continuity of food supply, Rafizi said his ministry, through the People's Income Initiative (IPR), are in the process of implementing agricultural and nutrition projects on government-owned land throughout the country with a total area of 404.7 hectares (1,000 acres).
Without delving into details on the overall cost of the project under the Farmer Entrepreneur Initiative (Intan), Rafizi said that the effort would indirectly help the B40 group to get involved in agriculture.
Besides the provision of land under the Intan model, the government will also assist in providing construction infrastructure such as greenhouses and land clearing.
"It is expected to benefit 4,000 beneficiaries in the future with a ratio of a quarter acre or half an acre for each person," he said, adding that the Intan model also involves the cooperation of government agricultural agencies and state government agencies. – Bernama