Direct Request (CEACR) - adopted 2006, published 96th ILC session (2007)

1. National Policy for Women. The Committee notes the general information provided by the Government regarding the objectives of the 1989 National Policy for Women and the recent establishment by the Government of a Cabinet Committee on Gender Equality. The Government previously stated that the formulation of job descriptions and an appropriate salary determination policy was one of the strategies identified by the National Policy for Women with a view to fully integrating women into the process of development. The Committee asks the Government to provide in its next report information on the measures taken to implement the National Policy for Women relating to the position of women in the labour market and the principle of equal remuneration for men and women, including any steps taken in this regard by the Cabinet Committee on Gender Equality. Please also indicate any measures taken to promote the objective evaluation of jobs, including through the formulation of job descriptions.

2. Public sector wages. Recalling that the 1991 report of the Special Committee of the Cabinet on Salaries for the Public Sector made no specific reference to the principle of equal remuneration for men and women for work of equal value, the Committee notes the Government’s indication that, in accordance with this report, salaries are determined according to the type of job, and the duties and responsibilities involved. The Committee further notes the introduction of the Malaysian Remuneration System in 2002 through which the salary progression and promotions of public sector employees are determined. The new system uses competency assessment to determine whether employees are subject to “normal salary progression” or “merit salary progression”. The Committee recommends that the principle of equal remuneration for men and women for work of equal value be taken into consideration when rating jobs according to responsibilities and duties in order to prevent gender bias in the determination of remuneration. In this regard, please indicate any measures taken or envisaged to ensure that the Convention’s principle is taken into account in the context of public sector job evaluation. The Committee also asks the Government to provide information on the effect of the new remuneration system on the remuneration levels of men and women in the public sector.

3. Statistical information. The Committee thanks the Government for providing statistical information concerning the number of employees in the public sector according to salary range, disaggregated by sex. It asks the Government to continue to provide such information, as well as statistical data concerning the remuneration received by men and women in the different industries and occupations in the private sector, including hourly rates.

4. Collective agreements. The Committee previously noted the examples of collective agreements which set the minimum and maximum wage without distinction as to sex. In the absence of any new information on this issue in the Government’s report, the Committee reiterates its previous request to the Government to indicate how the principle of equal remuneration for men and women for work of equal value is taken into account in fixing wages in the collective bargaining process.