We recently reported on how Malaysian employers could very well be the stingiest in the whole of Southeast Asia, in terms of the wages that their employees earn.
While many of us can attest to this apparent wage gap, the act of openly discussing your salary is taboo; something meant to be kept to yourself in private. It's also a policy a lot of companies tend to impose on their employees.
But that's where the wage problem stems from – a lack of transparency. It also helps employers keep costs as low as possible, banking (unfortunately, pun intended) on their employees' lack of knowledge of acceptable rates.
Piercing through that thin veil of secrecy is an Instagram page that has seemingly blown up as of late, fittingly called Malaysian Pay Gap.
More transparency, with anonymity as a shield.
According to its bio, the whole premise of the Malaysian Pay Gap Instagram page is to advocate for pay transparency and better salary in Malaysia, for all ethnicities.
The way it works is actually very simple – all you need to do is send them a DM with the particulars related to your job description, as well as the salary and actual experience you've gone through with the respective employer. The only constant you'll need to adhere to is the format of your post, which they detail in a highlight.
While not all Malaysians are necessarily paid unfairly-low wages, it's safe to assume that the practice of lowballing and workplace mistreatment is still very much a real thing here, as it is in other countries too.
Let's take a look at some of the different salaries then. Be warned, some of these salaries may surprise you.
Journalist.
IMAGE: @malaysianpaygap / Instagram
Barista and Manager.
IMAGE: @malaysianpaygap / Instagram
Construction Supervisor.
IMAGE: @malaysianpaygap / Instagram
Civil Engineer Consultant.
IMAGE: @malaysianpaygap / Instagram
NGO Marketing.
IMAGE: @malaysianpaygap / Instagram
Female in IT.
IMAGE: @malaysianpaygap / Instagram
When looking at all these different salaries, spanning diverse career paths, we can see one commonality – low wages.
While we can't exactly fault all employers, the Malaysian Pay Gap Instagram page serves as a kind warning to them: Pay fair wages, encourage safe and healthy work environments, and most importantly, treat your employees well. You are literally nothing without them.
Click here to check out Malaysian Pay Gap on Instagram, and maybe submit your own salary too.
Do you think you get a fair wage?
Read more life stories:
Malaysian employers labeled among the 'stingiest in Southeast Asia'
Employees are unhappy with their wages, but Malaysians are feeling it the most
Trash collectors in Singapore to earn minimum US$2,410 monthly by 2028
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