PARLIAMENT | Malaysia can raise wages and churn out thousands of skilled graduates, but little will change as long as employers hire cheaper migrant labour than Malaysians.

This is the uncomfortable reality confronting the country, with Investment, Trade, and Industry Minister Johari Abdul Ghani warning that decades of dependence on migrant workers have left many companies reluctant to pay Malaysians what their skills and labour are worth.

Even the increase in the minimum wage to RM1,700 has done little to change employers' attitudes, with some...

Even the increase in the minimum wage to RM1,700 has done little to change employers' attitudes, with some companies still offering Technical and Vocational Education and Training (TVET) graduates salaries comparable to those paid to migrant workers.