KUALA LUMPUR, May 31 ― Malaysia will be the launchpad for a campaign pushed by the International Trade Union Confederation (ITUC) and various trade unions to implement minimum living wage in Asian countries.

ITUC secretary-general Sharan Burrow said the campaign which kicks off today is using the Malaysian Wage Floor Forum organised by the Malaysian Trade Union Congress (MTUC) as the platform.

"The global workforce is in trouble. Workers' wages have stagnated, and inequality is rising. Workers in the world are saying that they need a pay rise in every country in the world,” she said during a press conference here today.

She said that Asia was chosen as the campaign target because it is a "predominant” market and the campaign "needs to be built from Asia”.

"We have to end the corporate greed,” she said.

MTUC secretary-general J. Solomon meanwhile said that the congress is hoping to push for a RM1,500 minimum wage in Malaysia ahead of a minimum wage review that is due to happen beginning June.

"The third review will begin in June and to be implemented next year. So we are hoping to push for RM1,500 minimum wage by then,” he said.

The minimum wage is currently RM1,000 in peninsular Malaysia and RM920 for Sabah and Sarawak, effective last July.