KUCHING: Sentosa State Assemblyman, Wilfred Yap urged that labour law powers be devolved to Sarawak, stressing that decisions affecting the state’s workforce should be made locally.
He said recent debates on equal minimum wage and mandatory 2% EPF contributions for all migrant workers highlighted the flaws of centralised, one-size-fits-all policies formulated in Putrajaya.
“Labour matters are currently under the Federal List of the Constitution, which may promote uniformity but fails to reflect Sarawak’s unique economic structure, cost of living, and rural realities,” he said.
Yap stressed that sudden wage or EPF policy changes, made without Sarawak’s input, could burden local SMEs and industries such as plantations, timber, and oil and gas, potentially harming both employers and employees.
He called for the Sarawak Labour Ordinance to be defederalised under Article 76A of the Federal Constitution, enabling Sarawak to set wage structures, working hours, and sector-specific protections suited to its circumstances.
“This is tailoring national standards to fit Sarawak’s realities, in line with the spirit of the Malaysia Agreement 1963,” he said.
Yap believed that labour policies should be shaped by Sarawakians, for Sarawakians, to ensure they genuinely protect workers while supporting economic growth.
By Connie Chieng