Malaysia’s Minister of Human Resources, Steven Sim Chee Keong, marked his second anniversary at the Ministry of Human Resources this December, reflecting on key labour reforms and milestones achieved during his two year tenure.
In a post shared on his Threads account, Steven Sim said he felt grateful and proud to have been given the opportunity to contribute towards uplifting the dignity of workers in Malaysia.
He acknowledged that while the ministry is not perfect, the team at KESUMA has worked tirelessly over the past two years to improve workers’ welfare, skills and productivity.
Wages reach new milestones for Malaysian workers
Among the key outcomes highlighted was the increase in the minimum wage to RM1,700.
For the first time, the median monthly wage in Malaysia also surpassed the RM3,000 mark.
Steven Sim noted that the Progressive Wage Policy was implemented in 2025, benefiting more than 32,000 participating workers. Under the policy, median starting salaries recorded increases of up to 16 percent.
Unemployment rate falls to lowest in ten years
The minister also revealed that Malaysia’s unemployment rate has reached its lowest level in a decade.
At the same time, the country recorded the highest percentage increase in newly formed trade unions, signalling stronger worker representation.
Collective bargaining mechanisms were also given greater emphasis, with Steven Sim citing a recent agreement involving Genting Malaysia that included a 10 percent wage adjustment and a starting salary of RM1,800.
Stronger labour protections and legal reforms
During the two year period, Malaysia ratified International Labour Organization Convention C155 and strengthened the enforcement of occupational safety and health laws based on global best practices.
Amendments were also made to the Sabah Labour Ordinance and Sarawak Labour Ordinance for the first time in 20 years, granting equal rights to workers nationwide.
The Malaysian Industrial Court was further strengthened, while efforts were stepped up to protect the rights of migrant workers, including wage payments, social security protection and worker complaint mechanisms.
Expanded social security and new protections
Steven Sim highlighted improvements to PERKESO benefits, alongside the historic introduction of the PERKESO 24 Hour Coverage Scheme after 50 years.
He also pointed to the tabling of the Gig Workers Bill as part of broader labour reforms.
Skills development and TVET transformation
A major focus was placed on skills development through amendments to the National Skills Development Act and the Skills Development Fund Act.
These changes paved the way for the introduction of the Malaysian Modular Skills Certificate and the Malaysian Specialist Certificate, described as a revolution in technical and vocational education and training.
HRD Corp was also reformed to ensure more efficient funding for upskilling workers.
Cutting bureaucracy and speeding up approvals
Steven Sim said KESUMA underwent reengineering efforts to reduce bureaucratic processes.
Expatriate permit approval times were reduced from six to twelve months to just 20 days. HRD grant approvals were shortened from seven to fourteen days to 24 hours. The issuance of SKM certificates was cut from two months to two weeks, while Industrial Court search processes were reduced from 30 days to three days.
Gratitude to KESUMA team and stakeholders
Reflecting on his two year tenure, Steven Sim said the time had passed quickly and expressed his deepest thanks to the KESUMA team and all stakeholders for their cooperation in advancing the ministry’s mission.
He also shared that he wrote the lyrics to a song titled Solidarity of the Struggle a year ago, which was launched on Labour Day 2025, expressing hope that the struggle for workers would continue to flourish.
He ended his message with a call in support of workers, describing them as the foundation of the nation.
https://t.co/ML7aKdsCII
— Steven Sim 🇲🇾 (@scheekeong) December 16, 2025
Bulan Disember ini ulangtahun ke-2 saya di KESUMA.
Saya berasa sangat bertuah dan bangga diberi peluang menyumbang sedikit kudrat untuk mengangkat martabat pekerja.
Kami bukan 100% perfect, tapi team @myKESUMA telah bekerja keras sepanjang 2 tahun…
