KUALA LUMPUR: Low average wages and high living costs are major factors contributing to worker dissatisfaction in Malaysia.
Malaysian Trades Union Congress (MTUC) president Mohd Effendy Abdul Ghani said most wages in Malaysia were insufficient to cover the rising cost of living
He also noted that the low minimum wage of approximately US$1.07 per hour was inadequate to meet basic needs such as housing, food, and healthcare.
"This causes financial stress to workers, thus affecting their happiness and wellbeing as they struggle to sustain their daily living.
"There is an imbalance in wage distribution in Malaysia, with a significant gap between high-income and low-income groups.
"Workers in lower and middle sectors often feel undervalued and marginalised, while executives and professionals receive higher salaries.
"This wage gap creates a sense of injustice and dissatisfaction among workers," he told Harian Metro.
He was commenting on the 2023 Global Life-Work Balance Index which placed Malaysia as the second-worst country for work-life balance among 60 nations.
Mohd Effendy said the cost of living in big cities like Kuala Lumpur and Johor was high, with the price of housing, rent, and necessities increasing every year.
This price increase, he added, did not match wage increases, making it hard for workers to maintain an adequate standard of living.
"This adds financial pressure and dissatisfaction among workers. Steps that can be taken to address this issue include increasing the minimum wage, improving social support policies, and efforts to reduce the wage gap.
"These measures could help improve the happiness and well-being of workers in Malaysia."
Another issue faced by workers in the country, said Effendy, was health and wellbeing.
He said the index score for worker wellbeing indicated that workers had a stressful work environment, with an average workweek of 40.8 hours and minimal annual leave.
"This situation increases the risk of physical and mental health issues.
"We believe that immediate measures such as increasing annual leave, reducing workload, and providing mental health support need to be taken to improve worker well-being in Malaysia, thus enabling the country to move out of the second-worst position in the world regarding work-life balance," he said.