The Ministry of Labour is eyeing the creation of a draft law that would codify the sometimes-nebulous process that determines the garment industry’s minimum wage, attendees at the ministry’s annual meeting were told last week.

While thin on specifics, ministry spokesman Heng Sour said yesterday that the law would provide greater detail than the current prakases and sub-decrees on the issue and clarify the mechanisms for wage setting.

The spokesman added that the law will look to expand the minimum wage to other sectors, although he declined to comment on which those would be, as it was still early in the planning stage.

“The law is not only for one sector but in general, but when we implement it, some articles will mention that the government focuses on priority sectors that have low minimum wages, such as textiles, garments and footwear,” he said.

Ath Thorn, president of the Coalition of Cambodian Apparel Workers Democratic Union, said yesterday that it was too early to comment on a minimum wage law as it had yet to be drafted, but that anything that reduces the potential for ambiguity was a positive thing.

“I think it is good, because when they pass any law, all sides must to obey,” he said referring to the oft-strained relationship between the government, workers and employers.