KUALA LUMPUR, Oct 2 — The SME Association of Malaysia (SMEAM) and the Malaysia Retail Chain Association (MRCA) have jointly sounded an alarm over further proposed minimum wage hikes.
The associations cautioned that a blanket increase could severely strain small and medium enterprises (SMEs) already grappling with economic headwinds.
In a joint press conference held today, SMEAM President Chin Chee Seong unveiled findings from the “SMEAM Quick Business Survey: Minimum Wage Review 2026,” which drew 333 responses from a diverse range of sectors, including manufacturing, retail, and food and beverage.
Highlighting the survey feedback, Chin noted that the majority of respondents — 61.6 per cent — reported that their current business conditions are worse or significantly worse compared to 12 months ago.
