A recent statement by Malaysian Employers Federation (MEF) president Datuk Dr. Syed Hussain Syed Husman—who claimed that a proposed ideal wage of RM5,000 and above for single individuals and families with two children is unrealistic—has sparked outrage among netizens.
Amidst the debate, a foreigner living in Malaysia questioned how most Malaysians are managing with stagnant wages while many expatriates benefit from stronger foreign currencies.
In a post on r/MalaysianPF, Reddit user @eve_shanghai shared that she has been living in Penang and Kuala Lumpur for two years with her daughters.
She praised Malaysia’s low cost of living, affordable housing, decent schools, and lower utility and car maintenance costs compared to North America.
“Foreigners like myself flock to Malaysia for its low cost of living and decent schools,“ she wrote.
“Compared to the US and Canada, where I used to live, Malaysia offers great value. Housing costs are much lower than in North America, and even bills and car running costs are significantly cheaper.”
However, after spending time with Malaysians who shared their monthly incomes, she concluded that the “cost of living in Malaysia makes little sense” for locals.
She also mentioned a foreigner tech executive living in Penang who noted that while the cost of living and petrol prices were once much lower, grocery costs have since surged.
“Meanwhile, most Malaysian salaries remain stagnant,“ she added.
“He said despite living in Malaysia for so long, he has no idea how ordinary Malaysian families survive in this country.”
Her post sparked a heated discussion in the comments, with many highlighting how Malaysians survive on low wages thanks to government subsidies.
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“Malaysians survive despite low wages because of the insane amount of government subsidies keeping food and fuel prices relatively low. That, in turn, allows employers to keep wages and labour costs low. Fresh graduate salaries are almost at the same level as they were 20 years ago,“ wrote one Redditor.
Another commenter pointed out the disparity between local and expat wages: “That’s why Malaysian Redditors are disgruntled when they see people from other countries asking if RM12,000 a month is enough to survive in KL. That’s three times what the average Malaysian makes. Preferences are often given to expats even when locals are equally qualified.”
