In a statement, the ministry said that at present, Act 265 only applied to the categories of employees specified in the First Schedule.

It involves employees earning RM2,000 and below; workers with no wage limits, such as manual labour workers; workers involved in the operation of motor vehicles; workers who supervise manual labour workers; and domestic workers.

“With this extension, any existing provisions of Act 265 that touch on employee salary limits should be repealed, namely Sections 44A, 69B, 69C, 69E and 81G,” the ministry said.

It clarified that follow-up amendments would be made to the First Schedule of Act 265 through an order in line with the powers of the human resources minister under sub-section 2(2) of Act 265 to enable all workers in the country to receive the minimum benefits and protection prescribed under Act 265.

“The ministry has already prepared a draft order to amend the First Schedule and assured that the order will be enforced simultaneously on the effective date of the Employment (Amendment) Bill 2021 on a date to be determined later,” he said.