MALAYSIA mandates a minimum wage of RM1,500 per month for foreign domestic helpers as of January 2023.
While this ensures fair remuneration for them, reports of maids continuing to be underpaid persist.
This situation recently gained traction on social media. A Facebook post in the group 我来自甲洞(大马帮) went viral after a woman advertised a domestic helper position for a shockingly low salary.
The advertised wage? Just RM800 per month, for hours exceeding the standard work week (9am to 6pm, five days a week).
This triggered outrage among Malaysians, highlighting the disparity between the legal minimum wage and the reality some domestic helpers face.
The advertisement read: “Hello everyone, I’m looking for a domestic helper who can work from 9am to 6pm, Monday to Friday, for a monthly salary of RM 800.”
It’s significantly lower than the average housekeeper salary in Malaysia, which falls closer to RM2,000 per month.
Unsurprisingly, the post sparked outrage online, with many netizens questioning the reasoning behind such a low offer.
One enraged user added, “From 9am to 6pm, RM800 per month, would you take it yourself?”
Yet another Facebook user additonally remarked: “The salary for all foreign workers is more than RM1500.” You are just offering RM800??? “Who wants to work?”
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